Nov. 6, 2022, ET Catholic, A section

November 6

| 2022

VOL 32 NO 3

IN THIS ISSUE GOOD TO A5 'IT'S A4 PILGRIMAGE BE HOME' TO NEW HOPE ET shrine is 40 years old this year

Dr. Jordan Pyda returns to talk about Haiti

THAT BELL B1 RING St. Alphonsus celebrates

pastor installation, blessing of bell for new church

He dwells among us ......................... A3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ............................................. B6 Catholic schools ............................. B10 La Cosecha ............................Section C

Commemorating Cursillo

Faith movement celebrates its 25th anniversary in the Diocese of Knoxville

By Bill Brewer

BILL BREWER (2)

T

he Cursillo movement in the Diocese of Knoxville has reached a longevity milestone that many organizations never attain as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated a special Mass for East Tennessee’s Cursillo community at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Oct. 1, which is the feast day for St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Concelebrating the Mass were Father Alex Waraksa and Father Peter Iorio. Deacon Erasmus Hernandez and Deacon Bill Jacobs assisted.

During the Mass, Bishop Stika called Cursillo a “gift” of the Church, much as St. Thérèse is.

“Years ago, I remember hearing a homily, and it talked about how we celebrate Christmas every day because every day we receive a gift. Then we have to unwrap that gift to see what’s inside that box.

The homilist was talking about how that’s what the Church is. The Church has many gifts, and sometimes people don’t see what those gifts are because they’ve never had a chance to unwrap that package,” Bishop Stika said.

“Cursillo is one of those gifts.

And what a gift. It’s a gift to discover Jesus. And the example of St. Thérèse. The gift she has given to us is a certain simplicity. Many times in the Church, because of theology and ecclesiology and those other ‘ologies,’ the Church can be kind of complicated, especially when you try to read some of the theologians,” he

Pointing to the past Above: Cursillistas Nikki Parman, Debra Ferreri, Sara Carey, and Loretta Jacobs enjoy photos and text detailing Cursillo's local history.

Below: Bishop Richard F. Stika gives the homily during the 25th anniversary Mass for Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville.

added. “They’re trying to express in words the immensity of God. Sometimes the verbiage becomes so much because you really can’t describe God or faith. Can you?”

Bishop Stika explained that Cursillo is a gift from Spain. The movement’s founder established the format to teach the faith, to share the message of Jesus with

others. It involves “talks” over specific weekends. Up until the early 1960s the talks were in Spanish, at which time they began to be translated.

As Catholic Church organizations and movements go, Cursillo in Christianity is relatively young.

It was started in Spain in the 1940s by lay Catholic Eduardo Bonnín and a group of close collaborators.

The first Cursillos were held in 1944, and in 1949 a Spanish bishop endorsed them. By 1957, the movement had spread to the United States. The Cursillo movement in the United States was organized on a national basis in 1965.

In practice, the Cursillo method involves three phases: Precursillo, Cursillo weekend, and Postcursillo.

Precursillo is about the person and his or her relationship with Christ as well as friendship. The Cursillo weekend is an opportunity for individuals to encounter themselves, Christ, and others.

Christ in the Eucharist is the central focus of Cursillo weekend. The weekend also is about prayer.

Postcursillo is about carrying over Precursillo and Cursillo Weekend. This is done through personal contact, witnessing, and the continuation of prayer, sacrifice, and works of mercy.

Individuals who complete the Cursillo weekend and enter into Postcursillo, or the “fourth day,” are said to have “made their Cursillo” and thus become Cursillistas.

“The Cursillista is called to be the Good News to others through a life of piety, study, and action in Cursillo continued on page A14

Revival: Christ in the Eucharist center of KCHS retreat Eucharistic procession brings together high school community

DR. KELLY KEARSE

C

ommunion—with Christ and with one another—is the key to strengthening any Catholic community.

So, on Sept. 16 the Knoxville Catholic High School community held an all-day student retreat focused on the Eucharist and communion with Christ. The theme stemmed from the Eucharistic Revival currently underway in the Catholic Church leading up to the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress.

“The [U.S.] bishops really want to remind the Church that Christ is with us in the Eucharist,” explained Sister Madeline Rose Kraemer, OP, who teaches religion at KCHS and planned the retreat. “Christ promised us before ascending that He will be with us always: ‘I will be with you always until the end of the age [Matthew 28:20],’ and that’s fulfilled in a very real way in the Eucharistic presence.

“When I was thinking about our students and thinking about this revival, I just felt like what the bishops are saying is very applicable to the needs of these teenagers. The world is so isolated and so lonely … there’s a real loneliness there that needs to be healed and can only be healed by the presence of our Lord.”

The overall word of the day was “communion,” and each grade focused on a different aspect of that word. Faculty participated in the

Youthful adoration Knoxville Catholic High School students kneel during the in-school eucharistic procession on Sept. 16. retreat as well, with several faculty members giving talks to the students and sharing their personal faith.

The freshmen class focused on “Communion with Christ in One Another,” on getting to

By Emily Booker

know each other, friendship, and how Christ wants to be their friend. Spanish teacher Amy Brown gave the talk “Authentic Christian Friendship,” and Father David Mary Engo, OFM, gave the talk “Friendship with Christ.”

The sophomore class focused on “Communion with Christ in the Scriptures” and learning how to pray with Scripture. Sports nutrition teacher Carolyn Williamson gave the talk “Why Pray with Scripture?” And Jessica Magers-Rankin, who teaches theater, and Trish O’Brien, who teaches Spanish, gave the talk “How to Pray with Scripture.”

The junior class focused on “Communion with Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” Father Engo gave the talk “I am with you always; the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist,” and Jane Walker, KCHS academic dean, gave the talk “Living a Eucharistic Life: Being Given as Christ is Given.”

There was also a talk for non-Catholic students, “Entering KCHS as a non-Catholic,” given by English teachers Liz McNulty and Megan Stromer.

Sister Madeline Rose said that seeing teachers and faculty members who don’t normally teach religion share about their personal faith and talk about the importance of faith made Eucharist continued on page A13

Hispanic youth create a wall of faith, hope, and love Sr. Imelda Quechol's vacation Bible school taught students to embrace their 'desert' journey

By Bill Brewer

Sr. Regina

COURTESY OF SISTER IMELDA QUECHOL, MAG

H

ispanic members of Sister Imelda Quechol’s vacation Bible school class have embraced a wall and what it can represent, although this wall is very different than the one that comes to mind for many people.

In one of her last activities last summer before she returned to Mexico on assignment, the Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” organized the summer catechetical activity for the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, where she has served as coordinator of the basilica’s Hispanic community.

As part of her instructional exercises, Sister Imelda had the young students paint a mural on a wall of the prayer house where vacation Bible school was held. The mural reflected their and their families’ journeys from their native countries to the United States.

A shared theme of the Israelites’ journey through the desert to the Promised Land was central to the creative process.

During class, an objective was set for the week. Sister Imelda thought it was important to draw a parallel of where the Hispanic community comes from, why they left their native

Expressing their faith Sister Imelda's vacation Bible school students illustrate their journey. countries, what happened in the “desert,” what happened in the process of crossing the

© 2022 Handmaids of the Precious Blood

border, and what happened when they arrived in the United States.

“To me, it was very important that the children understand the family unity and the value of their culture,” Sister Imelda said. “I didn’t want the kids to be embarSr. Imelda Quechol rassed by their culture.

I wanted them to be proud of their culture and to continue sharing their faith and culture with the community.

Many of them were separated from their parents at the border. But they were able to reunite with them three to six months later.”

Many Hispanic immigrants who have crossed into the United States from Mexico faced long-term separation from family members at the border, an experience many of them agree was terrifying.

With guidance from an experienced artist, the children summoned all their creativity to give life to their migration vision. Imagery and symbolism were keys to the project.

One of the symbols prominent in the mural is the quetzal, a colorful bird native to Central Mural continued on page A12

How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program

T This year the Handmaids of the Precious Blood celebrate their Diamond Jubilee: 75 years since their founding in 1947; 75 years of prayer and sacrifice for priests. Did you know you can receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood?

Visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.

November Prayer Intentions “We pray for children who are suffering, especially those who are homeless, orphans, and victims of war; may they be guaranteed access to education and the opportunity to experience family affection.”

–– Pope Francis “We offer our love and ardent gratitude for the gifts You have provided. We pray to You in thanksgiving for the saints, and that You accept their intercessions on our behalf, especially for loved ones and friends who have died this past year. We pray that our eyes always be open to the examples of the saints in all that we do. Amen.”

–– Bishop Stika

DIOCESE PROCEDURE

FOR

OF

KNOXVILLE

REPORTING

SEXUAL

ABUSE

Anyone who has actual knowledge of or who has reasonable cause to suspect an incident of sexual abuse should report such information to the appropriate civil authorities first, then to the bishop's office, 865.584.3307.

he Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).

CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.

“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.

Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.

Education is a key

FOLLOW US

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element of the Safe Environment Program.

All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.

In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.

The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.

The CMG Connect

STAY CONNECTED

WATCH UPDATES

dioceseknoxville

A DVERTISE IN THE EAST TENNESSEE C AT H O L I C

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platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.

In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, The Paraclete, or through Catholic Charities and/or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.

Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information. ■

CHECK US OUT knoxdiocese

> CONTACT US AT 865.584.3307 OR bbrewer @ dioknox.org.

> FIND US AT dioknox.org.

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE PUBLISHER

EDITOR

Bishop Richard F. Stika Bill Brewer COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

bbrewer@dioknox.org ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jim Wogan Dan McWilliams

jwogan@dioknox.org THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC (USPS 007211) is published monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, TN. Printed by the Knoxville News Sentinel. THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee.

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Subscription rate for others is $15 per year in the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551.

A2 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

A living sacrifice The Mass is the source for living and becoming the saints we are all called to be fered” in every Mass. But He does not want to do so without us. Very simply, “Christ died for our sins to make of us an offering to God” (from the Liturgy of the Hours). We, too, then must “offer” and be “offered” through [Christ], and with Him, and in Him as a sacrifice most pleasing and acceptable to God. Jesus wants to join our poor offering to His perfect offering—to His sacrifice of praise, thanksgiving, atonement for our sins, and petition to the Father. Consider this offertory prayer of the Mass:

“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.”

— Romans 12:1

S

triving for holiness. Each November when the Church celebrates all the saints and prays for all souls, I am reminded of the words of the zealous Catholic apologist Léon Bloy (1846-1917): “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.” Lest we become discouraged, St. Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta) reminds us that “Saints are only sinners who keep trying.”

And I would add, saints are those who strive to live their Mass every day.

Accept, O Lord, the offerings we have brought…, so that the oblation of your faithful may be transformed into the sacrifice of Him who willed in His compassion to wash away the sins of the world… (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord).

The Mass we must live. Have you ever thought of your life as a lifelong Mass? It began on the day of your baptism when you became a “temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:16) and began a new life in Christ, sharing in His mission as priest, prophet, and king. Of the temple built of stone, God said to Solomon, “I have chosen this place for my house of sacrifice.” Of the temple of the baptized, St. Peter says, “Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). Truly, then, are the words of Jesus addressed to each of us: “In your house I shall celebrate the Passover” (Matthew 26:18).

Spiritual sacrifices. What God said to the Israelites regarding the offering they were to bring to the Temple applies also to our participation in the Mass: “No one shall appear before the Lord empty-handed” (Exodus 23:15). And these are the “spiritual sacrifices” representing our joys and disappointments, our crosses and sufferings, our vocations and labors, our prayers and desires. As expressed by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy: Let the souls of Christians be like altars on each one of which a different phase of the sacrifice, offered by the high priest, comes to life again, as it were: pains and tears which wipe away and expiate sin; supplication to God which pierces heaven; dedication and even immolation of oneself made promptly, generously, and earnestly; and, finally, that intimate union by which we commit ourselves and all we have to God, in whom we find our rest. “The perfection of religion is to imitate whom you adore” (Mediator Dei, 152).

A living sacrifice. If we are “baptized into one body” and are “temples of God” (1 Corinthians 12:13; 3:16), and share in Christ’s “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), then the Mass is not just something we participate in once a week, but something that must be lived every day as a “living sacrifice in Christ” (from Eucharistic Prayer IV). And to be such, we must “live the offertory” and continue to invoke the Holy Spirit in all that we do so that His creative and renewing action can bring Christ into the world through us. This is why St. Paul urges us, “Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others” (Colossians 3:23). This is how we live the Mass of our heart.

Invoking the Holy Spirit. In the Mass of our heart there must also be an “epiclesis”—literally

Follow Bishop Richard Stika on Facebook for news and events from the diocese.

Living the offertory. Christ Jesus is both priest and victim—the One who “offers” and is “of-

a “calling down” of the Holy Spirit. In the Mass, it is that central moment of invocation when the ordained priest asks the Father to send His Spirit upon the offerings on the altar “that they may become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” But in the Mass we strive to live, we must continue to invoke the Holy Spirit in all we do. For as Father Jean Corbon points out, “It is in the epiclesis of the heart that all Christian holiness is determined.” How resolved we must be, then, to make a total offering of our self in every Mass, for “the Spirit will transform only what we offer to Him” (The Wellspring of Worship, 212).

The fire of the Spirit. As God warned the Israelites not to let the fire upon the altar go out, so, too, we must desire to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning continuously upon our heart’s altar (cf. Leviticus 6:5). We must always guard against the selfishness of sin and heed St. Paul’s warning: “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

The “other” altars. St. John Chrysostom tells of a beautiful way that we can invoke the Holy Spirit upon the altar of our heart, as well as upon all the “other” altars about us that we should offer ourselves upon: Just as the priest stands at the altar and calls down the Holy Spirit, you also may call down the divine Spirit, not indeed by words, but by works. For nothing so maintains and inflames the fire of the Spirit as does the oil of mercy, when it is plenteously poured out…. Therefore, when you behold a poor person, believe that you see an altar of sacrifice.”

Being a Christ-bearer to others. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that “He who does not give God gives too little.” To truly live our Mass, we must strive to die to our self upon the altar of our heart so as to be transformed more and more by the Holy Spirit into the One we seek to give to others. We, then, who have received Christ in Holy Communion must go out into the world, and from the “pyx” of our heart, like that which contains the consecrated hosts, give Christ to others in all that we do. And from such do saints become. ■

Bishop Stika’s schedule of Masses and public events These are some of Bishop Stika’s upcoming public appointments: n Thursday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m.: All-school Mass and brunch at Notre Dame High School. n Friday, Nov. 11, 9 a.m.: Veterans Day Mass at St. Therese Church in Clinton. n Saturday, Nov. 12-Thursday, Nov. 17: In Baltimore for annual USCCB fall general assembly. n Sunday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m.: Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend for Father Antonio Giraldo's 25th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. n Wednesday, Nov. 30, 8:30 a.m.: All-school Mass at St. Mary School in Johnson City.

By Catholic News Service

D

uring their fall general assembly in Baltimore Nov. 14-17, the U.S. bishops will elect the next president and vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from a slate of 10 candidates nominated by their fellow bishops.

They also will vote on chairmen-elect for six standing USCCB committees.

The president and vice president are elected to three-year terms, which begin at the conclusion of this year’s general assembly.

At that time, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit will complete their terms as president and vice president, respectively.

The candidates for president and vice president are, in alphabetical order: n Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services; n Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va.; n Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Conn.; n Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City; n Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco; n Archbishop Paul D. Etienne of Seattle; n Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas; n Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio; n Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore; and n Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind. According to the USCCB bylaws, the president is elected first by a simple majority vote of members present and voting. The vice president is then elected from the remaining nine candidates.

In either election, if a candidate does not receive

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

CNS PHOTOS/TYLER ORSBURN, GREG SHEMITZ, BOB ROLLER, DENNIS CALLAHAN, PAUL HARING

Bishops to elect new USCCB president, VP at assembly

Decision 2022 Candidates for the upcoming 2022 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops presidential and vice presidential elections are shown clockwise from top left: Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services; Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City; Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Conn.; Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va.; San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone; Seattle Archbishop Paul D. Etienne; Archbishop Gustavo GarcíaSiller of San Antonio; Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori; and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind. more than half of the votes cast on the first ballot, a second vote is taken. If a third round of voting is necessary, that ballot is a runoff between the two bishops who received the most votes on the second ballot. w ww.di o k no x .o rg

During the meeting, the bishops also will vote for chairmen-elect of six USCCB standing committees on: Canonical Affairs and Church Governance; Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; USCCB continued on page A8 NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A3

A pilgrimage to New Hope Virgin of the Poor Shrine has offered a place for prayer for 40 years

By Emily Booker

JIM WOGAN (4)

W

hen people think of making a pilgrimage to a Marian shrine, they often think of a long journey to France, Mexico, or Portugal.

But pilgrims can find a place of solace under the mantle of Mary right here in the Diocese of Knoxville at the Virgin of the Poor Shrine in New Hope, Tenn., which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

So, what is the devotion to the Virgin of the Poor, and how did the shrine get built in rural Marion County?

It starts with a generous donation of 600 acres of farmland overlooking the Tennessee River, willed to the Catholic Church by Lewis Duncan.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church in South Pittsburg was nearby. The small mission parish relied on priests from Chattanooga to come celebrate Mass.

In 1970, the mission was elevated to an independent parish, and two Benedictine priests from St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana arrived in Marion County at the Bishop of Nashville’s invitation (at the time, East Tennessee was still part of the Diocese of Nashville).

The priests served at Our Lady of Lourdes and contemplated what to do with the farm.

Father Pascal Boland, OSB, a monk from St. Meinrad and a scholar of Marion theology, suggested a shrine to the Virgin of the Poor.

In 1933, the Virgin Mary appeared to an 11-year-old girl, Mariette Beco, in Banneux, Belgium.

Over two months, she appeared eight times, describing herself as the “Virgin of the Poor.”

During one of these apparitions, the Virgin Mary pointed to the nearby spring and declared, “This spring is reserved for me…to alleviate suffering.” A chapel was built on the site, and pilgrims traveled to pray and visit the holy spring.

When Father Boland saw the property in New Hope, he thought it resembled Banneux, Belgium. It was decided to build a duplicate shrine on the land.

Father Basil Mattingly, OSB, who was serving as pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, first built a small wooden chapel, but it burned down. The current stone chapel was built by Father Mattingly with help from St. Meinrad monks and local parishioners. It was the first

East Tennessee's shrine to Mary Above left: The Virgin of the Poor Shrine was built on picturesque acreage in New Hope, Tenn., which is in Marion County. It is maintained by Our Lady of Lourdes Church in nearby South Pittsburg, Tenn. Above right: A statue of the Blessed Virgin is the centerpiece of an outdoor garden on the grounds of the shrine. Below left: Inside the shrine chapel, another statue of the Blessed Mother that was acquired in Banneux, Belgium, awaits the faithful. The shrine is a replica of the Virgin of the Poor Shrine in Banneux. Below right: A view from inside the shrine chapel looking out onto the grounds. The shrine is open daily to the public.

American shrine built in response to the apparitions in Banneux.

The dedication of the Virgin of the Poor Shrine and its chapel was celebrated by Bishop James D. Niedergeses of Nashville on Oct. 24, 1982.

For forty years, this small shrine off the beaten path has offered a place for quiet contemplation and prayer for the pilgrims who venture there.

A mosaic on the outside of the chapel depicts the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Mariette Beco.

An interior mosaic depicts the moment when Christ gives St. John,

and thus the Church, his Mother. In the 1990s, Stations of the Cross and a walk-around rosary were added.

The statue of Our Lady of the Poor is particularly significant.

Our Lady of Lourdes parishioner Elke Abate purchased a statue in Banneux and donated it to the New Hope shrine. In 1993, the statue was personally delivered and

blessed by Father Wim Geelan, the rector of the Banneux shrine. He brought water from the Banneux spring for the blessing.

The Virgin of the Poor is not just for those poor in material resources but the poor in health, poor in spirit, and poor in soul. After 40 years, the shrine in New Hope continues Shrine continued on page A17

One Heart, One World Pilgrimages with Lisa invites you on a pilgrimage to

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In the footsteps of St. Paul with Fr. Steve Pawelk including a 4-Day Aegean Cruise

12 Days September 18-29, 2023

PHILOMENA'S FRIENDS

A PEER-TO-PEER HELPING WORKSHOP

Topics to be Covered What Catholic spirituality says about friendship Recognizing possible symptoms of mental health concerns Active listening skills Communicating to someone that you are concerned about her/him How to encourage them to seek help Knowing your limits & setting boundaries Recognizing & responding to mental health crisis warning signs

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

'It's good to be home' Dr. Jordan Pyda returns to Sacred Heart to share memories of Haiti, Dr. Paul Farmer

By Hiske Jones

Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine and earned a master’s degree in pubr. Jordan Pyda was one of the guests lic health from Harvard, where he completed of honor at a memorable and inspiring his residency and also was a Paul Farmer Globevent held on Oct. 7 at the Cathedral of al Surgery Research Fellow. the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to raise funds Dr. Pyda currently is finishing his transplant for the Haiti Outreach Program and to honor surgery fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. the legacy of Dr. Paul Farmer, a global health He is committed to bringing transplant surgerpioneer who died unexpectedly in Rwanda in ies to developing counties, especially Haiti.

February.

Dr. Bazile, the former medical director in Dr. Pyda, a graduate of Sacred Heart CatheBoucan-Carré, spoke of Dr. Farmer’s legacy. dral School and Knoxville Catholic High School Dr. Bazile was born in and grew up in Haiti’s (KCHS), first met Dr. Farmer while living in capital, Port-au-Prince, and was inspired to go Haiti after graduating from college and lookinto the medical profession after witnessing ing for “moral clarity.” He had been inspired to people from all over Port-au-Prince and surreturn to the country after joining a mission trip rounding areas seek advice from his mother and to Haiti while a student at KCHS in November get her “concoctions.”

2002.

While in high school, Dr. Bazile’s mother’s “I met Paul because of Haiti. I did not go to four-month stay at a hospital while being treatHaiti because of Paul,” Dr. Pyda said. ed for tuberculosis, and the tireless care of the He credited his parents and the social teachdoctors and nurses, solidified his career choice. ings of the Catholic Church that he learned at After graduating from medical school, he Sacred Heart and KCHS for leading him to Haiworked in Haiti’s Central Plateau region with ti and the path his life has taken to help those in Zanmi Lasante, the sister organizations to Partneed. ners in Health founded by Dr. Farmer, to make What began as a plan to stay a few weeks health care more accessible to all. turned into months and then a couple of years.

He vividly recalls the first time he met Dr. During Dr. Pyda’s time in Boucan-Carré, Farmer.

Health-care heroes Dr. Junior Bazile, left, and Haiti, his interactions with Dr. Paul Farmer, “I was working in a mobile clinic when I saw Dr. Jordan Pyda were the keynote speakers at the Dr. Junior Bazile, and the Haitian students and this white man with jeans on and muddy boots, Haiti Outreach Program dinner on Oct. 7. patients forever changed him. Dr. working intently to help patients. I Bazile also was a guest of honor at had seen him driving the Jeep and the Sacred Heart Haiti Outreach bringing several people into the Program fundraiser. town, so I was very curious about “Paul opened many worlds, not who he was.” just geographic. … He believed that Dr. Bazile soon learned Dr. the root of most evil in the world is Farmer was the founder of the the idea that some lives matter more organization he was now workthan others,” Dr. Pyda said. ing with and eventually went to Dr. Farmer’s tremendous faith work for — Partners in Health in in people’s abilities to change the Boucan-Carré. world and what Dr. Pyda described Dr. Farmer embodied the phias Dr. Farmer’s “pragmatic actionlosophy that medical doctors should packed faith” led to the clarity he be change agents and willing to was seeking for himself. He knew do anything to make that positive he had to be part of the solution and change happen. work to make a real difference in “With two physicians per 10,000 people’s lives in Haiti. people, there are lots of jobs to be Dr. Pyda also acknowledged the done,” Dr. Bazile said. tremendous influence of several “Paul Farmer leaves behind an guests gathered inside the Cathedral Help for Haiti Kahler Moldrup and Julie Scott display items to promote Haiti extraordinary legacy. With his viHall — “the OGs — people like Dr. sion, the many health-care workers during the Haiti Outreach Program dinner on Oct. 7.

Dean Mire and his wife Cindy, Sonya in Haiti working under challengMire, Dr. Jeffrey Keenan, Billy Stair, with them,” Dr. Pyda said. ing conditions, and the support of and many more.”

He returned to the United States and compeople like you in this room tonight, I strongly Mission continued on page A16 “I fell in love with Haiti because of and along pleted his medical degree at the University of BILL BREWER (2)

D

Chaos reigns in Haiti as churches come under attack

By Maria Lozano Aid to the Church in Need-U.S.

T

he Church has become a victim of the violence, says Sister Marcela Catozza, a missionary in Haiti.

The Italian nun claims that the situation has taken a turn for the worse since June, with churches and institutions coming under attack.

The small Caribbean state of Haiti is going through a period of terrible violence. With the office of president vacant since the murder of Jovenal Moïse in July 2021, and no date set for new elections, the struggle for power and the lack of effective leadership have led to protests, chaos, and extreme violence in the streets in a country already beset by poverty and natural disasters.

“It is horrible, and it is the people who suffer most. The city is in the hands of gangs. The people are hungry, schools are closed. There is no work, hospitals are closed because they have no fuel for their generators. It is impossible to live in these circumstances,” Sister Marcela told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), referring to the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

What is more difficult to accept, however, says the nun who has been in Haiti since 2006, is that the world doesn’t seem to take notice.

“The worst is that nobody speaks about us. Nobody knows what is happening, they don’t care about our suffering in this country. The Church is also being attacked,” the missionary said.

On June 25, Sister Luísa del Orto, another Italian nun who had been living in Haiti for 20 years, was TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

gunned down.

“We were very, very close. The news brought me to my knees; it was such a terrible loss,” Sister Marcela recalled.

“We don’t know why she was killed. At first, we were told that it was an attempted robbery, but I am convinced that somebody paid to have her killed in the street. It was truly awful,” she said, her composure in contrast to the situation she described.

Only two weeks later the cathedral in the capital of Haiti was also attacked.

“They set fire to the cathedral and tried to kill the firefighters who arrived to put out the flames.

Afterwards they tried to destroy the walls of the cathedral with a truck,” said the nun, who belongs to the Franciscan Missionary Fraternity, during her conversation with ACN. The attacks on religious buildings and organizations have not been limited to Port-au-Prince. “In Port-de-Paix and Les Cayes, and in other cities, they attacked Caritas buildings, taking everything, including all the humanitarian aid, and destroying the staff’s offices,” she said.

Since August, Sister Marcela has been in Italy, and the great increase in attacks has kept her from returning to Haiti, a fact that fills her with sorrow.

“I was told I better wait a bit before returning. Partly because they killed Sister Luísa two months ago, and they don’t want another martyr nun in the country. So, I have been waiting. It is very difficult for a missionary to be away from their mission, it is very hard. But I am

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A5

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

'49 years, 5 months, and 2 days' Tennessee Right to Life remembers a half-century spent defending unborn at annual event

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

F

orty-nine years, five months, and two days—that’s how long abortion was the law of the land after Roe v. Wade.

Tennessee Right to Life’s Knox County chapter marked the end of that nearly half-century at its annual Celebrate Life banquet, this year held at Bridgewater Place in Knoxville on Oct. 11. The Supreme Court overturned Roe in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June.

“Tonight, we’re going to celebrate life and the end of Roe,” said Stacy Dunn, president of Tennessee Right to Life and executive director of TRL’s Knox County chapter. “During the most proabortion presidency in the history of our nation, Roe was overturned, praise the Lord.”

More than 300 TRL supporters attended the banquet, during which the Knox County chapter offered a look back at its fight against abortion since Roe. Will Brewer, who attends St. John XXIII University Parish and serves as TRL legal counsel and director of government relations, gave an update on the legal aspects of the abortion issue.

“This is a celebration tonight,” he said. “For the first time in 49 years, five months, and two days, it’s a celebration tonight. But the fight is far from over.”

A half-century of memories Above: Duane and Debbie Donahoo of All Saints Parish are interviewed by Angel Brewer of Tennessee Right to Life during the annual Celebrate Life banquet on Oct. 11. Below: Father John Dowling gives a talk and prayer during the banquet, which reflected on the campaign for life over the past nearly 50 years since Roe v. Wade was the law of the land.

Pro-life law

Mr. Brewer said, “we fight tooth and nail every year with a pro-life supermajority to pass whatever pro-life legislation we need to pass in Tennessee. We passed a really effective law to require a physician to be physically present with a woman when he or she prescribes that woman the abortion pill. We had a law like that on the books, but we really strengthened it and gave it teeth. We knew that this

abortion pill was the battleground of the future on this issue. . . .Now that Dobbs has been decided, the abortion pill is completely illegal in the state of Tennessee, so thank God for that.”

He added that some women are meeting with doctors in India via webcam to receive the abortion pill.

“These women are going to India

to get the abortion pill, and how are we ever going to prosecute doctors in India for the crimes that they commit in Tennessee?”

Mr. Brewer said. “That is a federal crime to prescribe an abortion pill for somebody in between states to a state that has already outlawed it, but it is up to the president of the United States and his Department of Justice to prosecute it,” a

remark that drew groans from the audience. “We need to continue to fight and to advocate because this is a federal issue that needs to be prosecuted, and it is currently not being prosecuted. That’s where we landed in May. We all know that June 24 was a wonderful day and a day that we have prayed for for a long time, when the Supreme Court finally overruled Roe v.

Wade.”

Mr. Brewer encouraged his listeners to read the opinion in Dobbs of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. “‘We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision,’” Mr. Brewer quoted the justice. “He makes it abundantly clear this is not something that is written in the Constitution, and it is not something that is in the fabric of this country’s laws and liberties and therefore it should go, and the states should be left on their own to decide how they can, and here in Tennessee thanks to the work of Amendment 1 in 2014, we had already made that call.

Amendment 1 laid the groundwork to say there is no constitutional right to abortion, and the legislation can be dictated by the General Assembly in Nashville, however they want to do that. The people should have the voice to decide. That paved the way for 2019, for us to pass our trigger law, the Human Life Protection Act, so that on the day that Dobbs was decided the countdown began.

Thirty days from the judgment of the Supreme Court, abortion was completely prohibited in Tennessee, praise God. “No court in Tennessee can come after our trigger law. It is set in stone until a General Assembly, God forbid, far in the future, TRL continued on page A19

Pro-life father of 11 arrested

by FBI at Tennessee home

By Patty Knap National Catholic Register

A

bout a year and a half ago, a small group that prayed regularly outside of the Carafem abortion business in Mount Juliet, Tenn., gathered at the facility for what they called a “rescue.”

The focus that March 2021 day was prayer, reading Scripture, and singing hymns.

More than a year passed.

Then, at 7 a.m. on Oct. 5, the FBI showed up at the home of Paul Vaughn, 55, president of Personhood Tennessee in Centreville, Tenn., to arrest him.

Four federal agents pounded on the Vaughn’s front door. Another agent walked around the family’s yard and apparently told two of Vaughn’s 11 children waiting for their father to drive them to school that their dad was about to be arrested.

Townhall.com reported that one child ran in, crying to her mother, “The FBI is here, and they are arresting Daddy.” Mr. Vaughn’s wife, Bethany, stated, according to Townhall. “They traumatized me and my children intentionally. We will never forget this.”

Both Mr. Vaughn and his wife contend that none of the FBI agents explained why they were there.

In a video taken by Mr. Vaughn’s wife, she asks the FBI agents, “I want to know why you’re banging on my door with a gun. You’re not going to tell me why you’re here?

You’re not going to give me any information?”

An agent responds, “No, we’re not. I tried.” The mother of 11 calls back, “No, you didn’t! You didn’t try!”

Not only did they get no explanation by the FBI agents at their TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

home, Mr. Vaughn told the National Catholic Register in a telephone interview, “No one — not the local sheriff’s office, elected reps, or me — were given any clue beforehand” that the early-morning raid was about to take place.

Mr. Vaughn said he did not receive notification to come to court either.

Referring to the day in question, Mount Juliet Police Capt. Tyler Chandler told The Wilson Post, a local newspaper that serves Mount Juliet in Wilson County, that people have assembled in front of the building since the opening of the women’s medical facility that originally provided medication abortions and expanded its services to surgical abortions in the town a few years ago.

“Since this facility opened, people have been allowed to peacefully protest here and have done so. This event was the first time that they have actually went inside the building and refused to leave,” Mount Juliet Police Chief James Hambrick told The Wilson Post. “Our aim was not to arrest. We had good dialogue. We’re just glad everything went as peaceful and orderly as it did.”

The morning of the FBI raid, Mr. Vaughn was taken from his home to a federal holding facility and given a lawyer. He has since notified the court of his change of legal representation to the Thomas More Society.

Mr. Vaughn said it wasn’t until the end of his six hours at the federal facility that the charges were explained to him. He was then released 60 miles from his home without a car, phone, or wallet.

“It was all very shocking. No one can believe the federal government

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A7

A trip to remember Scotland vacation puts schools superintendent in the middle of royal history

By Jim Wogan

Edinburgh. So, we were in Edinburgh when they were preparing for her arrival.

I

Dr. Prater: That is a first for me in almost 30 years of teaching and being in the educational profession. I have never taken a vacation during the school year.

Our (wedding) anniversary is in August, and we had been planning for quite a while a trip abroad. But then the pandemic hit.

I have always had a fascination with history. That is part of the reason we went. Our ancestors are from Scotland, and we were kind of doing a historical jaunt, a little bit of a pilgrimage, but I have had a fascination with the monarchy. It just was providential because of the timing.

The Praters’ best-laid plans took an abrupt turn after they arrived. Originally organized as “a jaunt” around Scotland and England to connect with their family history, the Praters deftly adapted to the monumental circumstances that were about to unfold.

Dr. Prater: I think I have about 42-percent Scottish ancestry on my side, and we've done a little bit of ancestral work, so it was kind of a dream to go and visit.

Initially it was an 11-day trip, and we were going to circle around and hit key points in Scotland, and then the last three days we were going to go to England. I wanted to see Buckingham Palace.

But as it happened, and that's why it was so providential, while we were there the prime minister (Boris Johnson) resigned and they (appointed) a new prime minister. It was two days before the queen's death and we were

The queen’s motorcade from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh weaved through cities and small Scottish towns along the way. The six-hour journey gave Scots living in the countryside an opportunity to witness the motorcade and pay respects.

It also provided Dr. Prater and her husband enough time to move ahead.

COURTESY OF SEDONNA PRATER (4)

n early September, Dr. Sedonna Prater, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Knoxville, and her husband, Ron, had an unexpected encounter with world history.

Their much-anticipated and COVID-postponed trip to Scotland finally happened, and it came during the death and funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Dr. Prater shared stories of their experience as part of her appearance on the “Inside the Diocese of Knoxville” podcast.

Dr. Prater called the timing of the trip providential. The podcast interview has been edited here for length and clarity.

Front row to history Diocese of Knoxville schools superintendent Sedonna Prater and her husband, Ron, found themselves in the middle of a historical moment in September. While vacationing in Scotland, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle near where the Praters were staying. They shared photos of their encounter with the queen's funeral procession and the church where the public could view her. headed to the Highlands, to Inverness, and we were going to circle around to Balmoral, where she was.

We were watching the Scottish news at a distillery and the waitress helping us, she was a political science major and a student at Stirling University, was saying, “You know, it's just very interesting the queen is here, and these prime ministers are coming.”

We got into this discussion about the queen's health and that possibly she may not be here very much longer because her health had not been very good.

We started hearing the news early in the morning, but we were up in the Highlands. What was interesting was the way the locals would talk about the news.

There wasn't that much concern at first, and then about noon that day they put out a statement that the physicians were with the queen and that she was “comfortable,” and that statement with the locals resonated. Then all of a sudden there was just this flurry of action. I have chills thinking about it. I asked (the local people) why is that so significant, and they said “well, because they never talk about the queen's health.”

travel plans for Dr. Prater and her husband.

Dr. Prater: After she passed, we had this decision to make: do we go down to Balmoral or drive on to Edinburgh? We were trying to talk to the locals, and we were finding out that they were going to shut down a lot of the roads.

The Scottish people were in a state of shock, but they were also in this state of “Oh my goodness, the queen has died in our country.

Now what do we have to do?”

They were telling us that there are certain protocols. We decided it would be best not to go to Balmoral because we were afraid we were not going to be able to get to Edinburgh. This is where it is really providential. We went down a day before the queen arrived in

Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept.

8 at the age of 96. Her death set off a series of protocols and culminated in Britain’s first state funeral since 1965. It also impacted the

Dr. Prater: It was about an hour and a half (drive), but we were concerned because they were going to shut the roads down.

We didn't know the path of the queen's (motorcade). We went down because we knew she was coming there. When we got to Edinburgh, the police had barriers up. You had the bagpipes and the marching bands and the military and all these different people.

They were practicing what they were going to do. We got to watch all of that. It turned out that the inn we were staying in was on the Royal Mile where the procession was going to be. We literally were three minutes walking distance from the church where they placed her.

Queen Elizabeth’s motorcade arrived in the Scottish capital city on Sunday, Sept. 11. She was initially taken to Holyroodhouse Palace. The next day the queen was taken to St. Giles’ Cathedral.

Dr. Prater: When she first came into town they took her to the palace the first night, so we saw them come in with her in the limousine and you could see her coffin and Princess Anne.

Queen continued on page A9

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Catholic Roots ...Christian Cousins

with Fr. Mike Nolan USCCB continued from page A3 Evangelization and Catechesis; International Justice and Peace; Protection of Children and Young People; and Religious Liberty.

The six bishops will each serve for one year as chairman-elect of their respective committee before beginning a three-year term as chairman at the conclusion of the bishops' 2023 Fall General Assembly.

The nominees are, in alphabetical order: n Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance: Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Ill., and Bishop Alfred A. Schlert of Allentown, Pa. n Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs: Bishop Joseph C. Bambera of Scranton, Pa., and Auxiliary Bishop Peter L. Smith of Portland, Ore. n Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis: Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis and Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield, Mass. n Committee on International Justice and Peace: Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia and Bishop Abdallah Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon. n Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People: Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond, Va., and Auxiliary Bishop Elias R. LoA8 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

renzo of Newark, N.J. n Committee for Religious Liberty: Archbishop Cordileone and Bishop Rhoades.

Because the elections for USCCB president and vice president are also taking place at the general assembly, if any of the candidates for committee chairmanship are elected to fill either of those higher offices, the USCCB's Committee on Priorities and Plans will convene to nominate a new candidate for that committee.

Last November, the bishops voted for chairmen-elect for five standing committees. At the end of this year's fall assembly, they will take over as chairmen of their respective committees on: n Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations: Bishop Earl A. Boyea of Lansing, Mich.; n Divine Worship: Bishop Steven J. Lopes, who heads the Houston-based Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter; n Domestic Justice and Human Development: Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.; n Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth: then-Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron of Los Angeles, who now heads the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minn.; and n Migration: Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso. ■ www.di o k no x .o rg

12 Days

June 12-23, 2023

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

Reports stated that tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Edinburgh for the queen’s motorcade and many of those people waited many hours outside St. Giles’ Cathedral to finally get inside to view the queen’s coffin and pay their respects.

Dr. Prater: We ended up going the next morning. It is just a surreal experience. She was someone, like many people, she is all I have ever known as the queen, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of England. Also, for me, as a working mother and grandmother, who has Arrest continued from page A7 would do something like this, with two cars and four FBI agents,” Mr. Vaughn explained to the Register.

Thomas More Society attorneys are now defending Mr. Vaughn against alleged violations of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, commonly known as the FACE Act. The Biden Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick Garland claim that Mr. Vaughn is guilty of “conspiracy against rights secured by the FACE Act,” as well as of violating the FACE Act itself, even though he never obstructed anyone from accessing the abortion facility, the crux of the act. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee indicted Mr. Vaughn and six others for conspiracy and, additionally, four other individuals for committing FACE Act violations.

A total of 11 people have been arrested with charges regarding the same date and abortion center. Eight of the 11 are from outside the state.

One, Eva Edl, is an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor from South Carolina.

If convicted, Mr. Vaughn faces up to 11 years in prison, three years supervised release, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. A fund is in place to aid him and his family.

“Paul Vaughn’s arrest in front of his wife and seven of his children, including the 18-month-child she was holding, followed by his indictment on federal charges, is yet another attempt on the part of the Biden Department of Justice to frighten and intimidate Christians and committed life advocates,” Thomas More Society senior counsel Stephen Crampton said in a statement.

“We believe the evidence will show that Paul did not violate the FACE Act, and we look forward to a chance to prove that in court,” Mr. Crampton continued.

“Ironically,” Mr. Crampton added, “the FACE Act was established to federalize and criminalize any interference with a person’s attempts to obtain an abortion. Abortion is no longer legal in Tennessee, and the peaceful pro-life witness at the Mount Juliet abortion facility resulted in no injury, destruction, or damage, yet 11 life advocates are facing Draconian penalties and federal prosecution.”

As Mr. Crampton explained to TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

COURTESY OF SEDONNA PRATER

Queen continued from page A8 That night she stayed at the palace. There were all kinds of people from the news media from around the world, and they were inundating Edinburgh. There were English people coming; there were people from France, all around the world. And of course the Scots were there, and then people like me, Americans that were on holiday, so it was quite a spectacle.

The next day, King Charles came, and all the children came, but not the grandchildren.

I wanted to see Prince William and Kate, but they didn't come. But all the children did, and then they processed behind her. We watched them process by and go to the church.

They had a church service that was by invitation only and it was for (royalty) and government officials, which was also very interesting.

They could not drive into the city. They had to take public transportation. You had all these dignitaries coming in their full regalia, they were all dressed up, trying to get to this church service just out meandering around, and we're just kind of watching it.

So, they had the service and then they opened the church for public viewing. You had to get wristbands to go in; they did not allow you to take pictures. It took us quite a while to get our wristbands. There were quite a lot of people trying to go.

When we first got into the line to go into the church to view the queen it was about an eight- to nine-hour wait. So, because we were so close, we decided we would step back and go early in the morning.

Vacation of a lifetime Ron and Sedonna Prater pose for a selfie in their Scotland hotel. had a career, I just admired her so very, very much because, whatever you think of the monarchy or the British, she had a job, and she did her job with grace and dignity.

And she was in the public eye for 70 years and she had a family and she had grandchildren, so she was very real. I think about her messages, and the things that she said were just beautiful.

Historians will forever analyze and discuss the impact of Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign over the United Kingdom. The events of her death and the tributes and religious services that followed were witnessed by millions all over the world—mostly through the lens of the media. Dr. Prater witnessed those events in person and experienced history as it was unfolding in front of her.

Dr. Prater: It was very impactful because you are walking along her history. She did handle

the Register in an e-mail, “We intend to aggressively defend this case on both the facts and the law. We believe the FACE Act is unconstitutional, and this case underscores how egregiously it is being abused, even if it had any legitimate basis in the first place.”

Mr. Crampton also told the Register that, while the criminal case is in its earliest stages, “We believe that authority was abused in this situation. Especially when contrasted with the utter lack of interest, let alone investigation and arrest, of those committing genuine acts of violence against churches and pregnancy resource centers, it seems clear that the FBI is carrying out an agenda of the Biden administration to intimidate and inflict maximum harm — one might say, to terrorize — Christians and the pro-life community, while excusing and even condoning those on the pro-abortion side engaged in much more serious and harmful acts. Ironically, it is the same federal law — FACE — that prohibits both actions.”

However, Mr. Crampton pointed out to the Register, “It does appear to us that the constitutional rights of Paul and his family were violated by the FBI raid.” But, he added, “We will not be able to pursue any such claims until resolution of Paul’s criminal case.”

The legal group highlighted the anti-life emphasis of the current administration, with Mr. Crampton stating by e-mail, “We are gratified to know that a congressional investigation is being sought and that the FBI’s brazen disregard for fundamental constitutional rights is being exposed in the court of public opinion. However, the current administration seems singularly unconcerned about the FBI’s abuse of power, and indeed seems to be celebrating it. The indictment in this case was released on the 100th day after the Dobbs case was decided, while the president and the vice president met with the newly constituted Reproductive Rights Task Force in the White House, strategizing on other ways of promoting the culture of death and rewarding their political supporters in the abortion industry. These arrests were intentional, and calculated, to send a harsh message to those who would dare engage in the most gentle, non-

things with grace, even difficult things. I think of just the recent history with the pandemic, her words of encouragement to her Englishmen when they were going through that.

That is what good leaders do, they pull their people together. They are the reassurance. The calming factor. That is the kind of stability, the kind of image that she was.

She was meeting with prime ministers; how many prime ministers? How many American presidents (and) popes? She met with all these world leaders and in some way had an impact on them, too, but yet she was not political.

She carried herself with grace and dignity and was what she was supposed to be to her people, so I just find that extremely admirable.

I was touched. I told my husband at one point “I don't feel worthy to be here” because there were British people and Scottish people that were crying on the street, literally crying, and talking. There were two elderly ladies and they had come from Yorkshire, and they were just crying, and they were talking about their own memories of the queen and that they just had to view her and be there.

The Scottish church where she was placed was absolutely gorgeous. She was sitting there with flowers. They were flowers from Balmoral, which I thought was very touching. I watched the people go in.

I took my rosary because, you know, being a Catholic when you go to view, you pray the rosary, so I was praying the rosary. But then I watched them bowing and curtsying and just such respect to give dignity.

Being a student of history, you read about queens and kings and their deaths and the transitions and everything, but to be living and seeing that first-hand play out and to hear the impressions of the people at that time. Yes, it was powerful.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Queen Elizabeth left Scotland for the last time. Her coffin was flown to London for her final arrangements. The Praters returned to the United States the same day. Find a link to “Inside the Diocese of Knoxville” and other diocesan podcasts by clicking on the podcast link at dioknox.org. ■

violent acts of civil disobedience in support of the right to life. Restraining the FBI under these circumstances will be no easy task. They have become Garland’s Gestapo, wielded for purely political reasons, without regard to constitutional limitations or the strenuous objections of the

w ww.di o k no x .o rg

American people.”

A similar FBI raid took place at the home of Mark Houck in Pennsylvania in late September, with 15-20 agents swarming his property.

The Thomas More Society is also representing Mr. Houck on similar charges. ■

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A9

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Food Shipments Funded by US Catholics Are Bringing Relief to Families at Risk of Malnutrition To combat hunger in developing countries, Cross Catholic Outreach has a simple but effective plan: Ship in Vitafood.

Vitafood is a fortified rice product specifically designed to fight the effects of child malnutrition, and it can be packed in large shipping containers and cost-effectively sent to Catholic schools, orphanages and other local partners serving the poorest of the poor. A single container can keep crucial feeding programs running or provide immediate relief when disasters strike.

“Credit for the success of our Vitafood outreaches should really go to the compassionate Catholics in the U.S. who help us secure and ship these self-contained meal packets to Catholic missions around the globe,” said Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, a Vatican-recognized charity serving missionaries in the developing world. “Church leaders in Haiti, Guatemala and other developing countries are eager to help the hungry poor in their communities, but they need us to supply them with resources like this food. Getting a steady supply of Vitafood is critical to their programs. In some cases, where hunger is extreme, these meals can even save lives.”

According to Cavnar, Vitafood is also an extremely flexible resource.

It comes in several different varieties and can be prepared with additional spices and ingredients to suit local tastes. Vitafood provides the optimal balance of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrates that a child’s hungry body needs. These meals are also important to the health and physical well-being of children and adults who are healthy but at risk of becoming malnourished.

What’s more, because Vitafood meals are donated to us by A young girl waits for the meal to be served at her school in Nicaragua. Cross Catholic Outreach and its U.S. benefactors play a critical role in making this and other school lunch programs possible by sponsoring the food shipments these ministries need.

Vitafood is a fortied rice, potato or lentil-based meal loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals.

respected faith-based organizations, Cross Catholic Outreach only needs to cover the cost to ship the meals to hungry families.

This means that for every dollar donated, 14 nutritious meals can be sent to a community in need.

“There are very few donations a person can make that achieve this much bang for the buck,” Cavnar pointed out. “Some of our donors are so impressed with the impact that they sponsor the shipment of an entire 40-foot container filled with food, effectively supplying the poor with tens of thousands of meals.”

Support for this outreach is

particularly important now, according to Cavnar. The COVID19 pandemic, the military conflict in Ukraine and widespread inflation have made obtaining food much harder for overseas missions.

“Our goal is to support those struggling Church leaders by bringing in the food they need. The health of poor families is at risk if we don’t,” Cavnar said. “As I see it, this is our opportunity to be a blessed instrument of mercy. It is our chance to further the work of the dedicated priests, sisters and Catholic lay missionaries who are doing everything they can to respond to this threat.”

Readers interested in supporting Cross Catholic Outreach food programs and other outreaches to the poor can contribute through the ministry brochure inserted in this issue or send tax-deductible gifts to: Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC02232, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168.

The ministry has a special need for partners willing to make gifts on a monthly basis. Use the inserted brochure to become a Mission Partner or write “Monthly Mission Partner” on mailed checks so we can contact you about setting up those arrangements.

Unique Christmas Catalog Created To Bless Donors — and the World’s Poor If you are like most people, your mailbox has been choked with Christmas catalogs this year.

In fact, their arrival has almost become a sign of the season, like the appearance of house lights and department store decorations.

This Advent and Christmas season, Cross Catholic Outreach intends to offer a catalog too — but theirs is a very different offering with a very different purpose. It has been designed to bless both givers and receivers by using the holiday gift-giving tradition to help the world’s poorest families.

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Rather than offer gizmos, gadgets, neck ties and jewelry, the Cross Catholic Outreach Christmas Catalog is giving Catholics with a concern for the poor an opportunity to share the blessings in their lives with needy families by sponsoring practical and urgently needed items like medicines, milk powder, seeds for farming, access to safe water or materials for roof repairs. Of course, it also offers blessings for children, including toys and sports equipment, so individuals can choose to sponsor both practical items suitable for families and gifts

to bring children joy.

“Like most Christmas catalogs, ours offers lots of items so donors can choose to give something very specific. That said, they can also make a general gift to address the poor’s greatest needs,” explained James Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, the Catholic relief and development ministry offering this program.

“When donors choose to give to greatest need, they provide us and the Catholic missions we serve with the freedom to address any urgent need. The priests and

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religious sisters we support really appreciate that flexibility. It’s the best way to empower their work among the poor.”

This unique Christmas catalog is easy to access. Readers will find a link for it at the ministry’s website (CrossCatholic.org) or they can reach it by directly entering the web address: CrossCatholic.org/ Christmas.

“Our hope is that everyone will be blessed by the experience,” Cavnar said. “It’s a wonderful way for us to celebrate the birth of our merciful Lord!”

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Catholic Missions Use School Lunch Programs to Feed Hungry Children in Poor Communities

Catholic schools in countries such as Haiti, Guatemala and Nicaragua rely on Cross Catholic Outreach’s shipments of Vitafood to provide daily lunches. These prepackaged meals can be supplemented with meats and vegetables from local sources.

Extreme hunger has been on the rise in developing countries around the globe, but Catholic missions have developed an effective way to combat the problem — especially where children are at risk, They have instituted school lunch programs to ensure needy boys and girls in the poorest communities receive at least one nutritious meal.

“ ... when [they] were home on the weekends, they often went hungry.”

Jim Cavnar, Cross Catholic Outreach

Sadly, for some of the participating children, that school lunch is the only food they will eat all day.

“I once met a poor father who grieved every time the weekend approached because he had no money and no food to offer his children on those days. He knew his kids would eat when they went to the Catholic school on weekdays, but when his kids were home on the weekends, they often went hungry,” shared Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, a respected relief and development ministry working in these impoverished areas. “We eventually found a way to deliver general food supplies to his community, but his

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story indicates just how critical Catholic school lunch programs are to the children in developing countries like Haiti, Guatemala and Nicaragua.”

Once you have seen the extreme poverty families face in the developing countries Cavnar listed, it is easy to understand why hunger is such a frightening prospect to the parents in those places. Life is very hard for poor families in those nations, but it is particularly challenging to those living in rural areas where whims of weather can so easily disrupt their incomes and their lives.

“Most rural families are subsistence farmers,” Cavnar explained. “They work very hard, but it is still a struggle for them to feed their families. When the weather doesn’t cooperate or pests destroy their crops, their children go hungry — and some even fall prey to malnutrition. That’s a very dangerous condition because it puts their sons and daughters at risk of long-term mental and physical impairments. It also weakens immune systems, which produces additional problems when an illness such as COVID-19 strikes. In fact, almost any serious illness or disease can be deadly when your immune system is compromised.”

Solving this hunger problem required Cross Catholic Outreach to find a solution that would costeffectively reach a significant

number of children in one place and at one time.

“Catholic schools were identified as the most logical place to host a feeding program, so we made it a priority to supply them with food for lunches,” Cavnar said. “We have other methods of getting food out to hungry families, but the school-based feeding programs are the most effective ways we can put healthy meals in the hands of needy boys and girls. We also supply Vitafood to those schools whenever possible because the meals are specifically formulated to be both highly nutritious and culturally appropriate to the countries we serve.” (See related story on the opposite page.)

Beyond satisfying the hunger of children, the program also has an important educational impact, according to Cavnar.

“Hungry children struggle to concentrate in school, and eventually they fall behind. When

a family finds it hard to make ends meet and their children don’t seem to be progressing in their studies, those parents are tempted to pull their sons and daughters out of school altogether. We can’t let that happen. We need to ensure these children are able to succeed in school so they can eventually break free from the poverty that has plagued their families for generations.”

While Cavnar believes the schoolbased feeding programs currently underway are successful, he believes even more can be done if Catholics in the United States remain committed to the cause and generously support the Church’s efforts.

“Now that they understand the hardships hunger creates, I’m optimistic my Catholic brothers and sisters in the U.S. will be eager to help,” he said. “That’s because every meal we are able to ship can have a life-transforming impact on a child.”

How to Help To fund Cross Catholic Outreach’s effort to help the poor worldwide, use the postage-paid brochure inserted in this newspaper, or mail your gift to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC02232, PO Box 97168, Washington, DC 20090-7168. The brochure also includes instructions on becoming a Mission Partner and making a regular monthly donation to this cause.

If you identify an aid project, 100% of the donation will be restricted to be used for that specific project. However, if more is raised for the project than is needed, funds will be redirected to other urgent needs in the ministry.

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A11

Multicultural rosary unites diocesan Catholics of all nationalities

By Bill Brewer

C

brate our diversity and being united through our faith,” Mrs. Primm added. “We do this by praying through the intercession of our Blessed Mother for all the immigrants and refugees. In the context of that week, many of our Haitian brothers and sisters are struggling in Mexico and Guatemala after leaving their country on the way to the United States.

We especially pray for them, too, for their lives and their journeys as they move to find a better way of life.”

Each mystery, prayer, and intention was said in a different language, with 14 languages represented at the rosary, according to Mrs. Primm. In 2021, the multilingual rosary also Rosary continued on page A18

COURTESY OF SISTER IMELDA QUECHOL, MAG (5)

atholics from different nationalities whose common denominator is East Tennessee congregated for a multicultural rosary on Sept. 23 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus to commemorate National Migration Week and World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

It was the second annual multicultural rosary in the Diocese of Knoxville, a sacred service that Blanca Primm hopes will become an annual occurrence. The rosary was followed by an international food celebration at the Chancery.

The World Day of Migrants and

of our beloved Mother Mary, especially for those individuals and families who are forced to leave their homes in search of a better and Mrs. Primm more secure life for their future,” said Mrs. Primm, director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Knoxville and organizer of the multicultural rosary.

“The idea for the rosary came because there are not only Hispanics but many immigrants in the Diocese of Knoxville. And we wanted to cele-

Refugees is recognized annually on the last Sunday of September, which was Sept. 25 this year. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Church has been celebrating World Day of Migrants and Refugees since 1914.

The celebration is fairly new in the Diocese of Knoxville.

“We started this tradition last year. There is a special beauty and joy in bringing together the body of Christ made up of its diverse members who make up His Church. It was beautiful to see representatives of the different ethnic and cultural communities of the Knoxville area present with the dream of praying together to ask for the intercession

Self-portraits Hispanic students in Sister Imelda Quechol's vacation Bible school class at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga spent part of their summer recreating their families' journeys to the United States on a large wall-based mural. One of the mural's important features is faith-based symbolism.

Mural continued from page A2 and South America. Early civilizations considered the quetzal a divine bird and a symbol of goodness and light, something that is sacred and precious.

Another image in the mural is the Quetzalcoatl, or feathered serpent, which symbolizes high authority.

In embracing their talents and sharing them, Sister Imelda believes the students will become as the quetzal is, a free bird with the dignity of children of God. “They are not foreigners. They are children of God. And they can be as free and beautiful as the quetzal is. The quetzal can be a symbol of Jesus,” she said.

“After that separation and reunion with their family, they must continue living their cultural values and to use the gifts they have received because they are very gifted. They are gifted with music and poetry. And I told them to value and appreciate the sacrifices that their parents made, even with the cost of going through all of this, because they wanted to provide a better life for them,” she added.

Sister Imelda, who is originally from Puebla, Mexico, emphasized that the mural not only depicts families’ efforts to get to the Promised Land—the United States—but also the fact God was with them all along the way as He delivered them to the Diocese of Knoxville.

“They drew a parallel between being in Guatemala and journeyA12 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

ing into the USA with the Israelites traveling to the Promised Land. The kids had to know the stories of their parents, and they had an active role in painting this mural,” she said, noting that most of the children were from Guatemala.

“In the same way God frees the people of Israel. He accompanied them, taking them by the hand through their most difficult and painful moments. There was a purification period. Despite that time of purification, where they lost members of their families, many were left behind, and they lived through ordeals from the journey. In the end, God was always with them. And they were able to reach their promised land that is the United States. They were freed,” she added.

Children younger and older participated in painting the mural, contributing images of their treks with handprints, footprints, self-portraits, and replicas of symbols from where they were born, many of them faith based.

The wall-sized mural leaves a dramatic impression from a tumultuous, life-altering experience that was done with courage, hope, and faith. The depiction of the Holy Trinity was in God’s will, God’s love, and God’s mercy, according to Sister Imelda, who first served in Chattanooga from 19932000 and returned in 2015 to serve until last summer.

The mural was painted inside Holy Cross House, a prayer house

for the Basilica Hispanic community. While the Basilica and its Hispanic community own Holy Cross House, they also rent another house of prayer, Immaculate House, that, too, is used by parishioners.

While she wants the children to appreciate what they’ve been through with their families, Sister Imelda also wants them to appreciate where they are now.

“The universal Church works very hard so we can live and reach the Promised Land. That is expressed in the community of our parishes, in the priests and clergy, and in the laity. The kids are not alone. They are part of a community that cares for them.

This is their home.

“These kids have to learn to be grateful because the Church opens its arms wide to welcome them.

They have to learn how other institutions in the Church, like Catholic Charities, the Office of Hispanic Ministry, St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, have been good and also have been called to welcome others and heal others,” she pointed out.

Sister Imelda taught them that the Church has welcomed them through these organizations, and she is teaching them to be like that, too.

In keeping with the theme of appreciating those who have helped them in their journey, Sister Imelda said vacation Bible school also recognized vocations as part of its curriculum. People from different vocations, such as

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priests, seminarians, women religious, deacons, law enforcement officers, and firefighters, shared their experiences in serving the community.

In the mural, the burning bush where God calls Moses was painted to depict how God gives us callings. A similar scene is when Jesus was calling for fishers of men.

Organizing vacation Bible school and the mural were among Sister Imelda’s final activities before she left for Mexico, where she was elected to a leadership position in her congregation.

“I think this work was good.

It was very important to let the community know the Church is present and alive through its different people, and that God is present in our lives. It is very important to know that we all need each other ’s help. We all need to smile to show that God is present in our lives,” she said.

“The most important achievement of the children at vacation Bible school that I want them to keep in their hearts is that in the same way the quetzal flew so high with the dignity it possesses, those kids have the dignity that God gives them through Jesus as they are made in God’s image.

They can share their talents and bear fruit when they are welcoming to others in the community and when they catechize and share love. When they realize how big God’s love is, in spite of their suffering, there will be hope in their hearts,” she added. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Students of the Holy Eucharist A eucharistic procession makes its way from All Saints Church to Knoxville Catholic High School, where students and faculty took part in adoration.

The procession was led by Father David Mary Engo, OFM, who was assisted

by Deacon Jim Bello and KCHS students.

The procession was part of the Eucharistic Revival currently underway in the Catholic Church leading up to the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress.

an impact on the students and reminded them that the whole school community cares about their spiritual development.

“The students got to see all of their teachers care, not just their religion teachers. So that was beautiful,” she said.

For seniors, the retreat was an opportunity to learn the importance of praying for others and guiding others in the faith. Seniors took on a leadership role throughout the day. They led underclassmen in small groups, coordinated field game activities, shared their own testimonies, and prayed for specific underclassmen during their prayer time.

“Basically, every grade was split up. Us, being seniors, we led it,” senior Ian Hubbard explained. “I started by making rosaries, then adoration, then a bit of recreation at lunch time, and then the Mass and procession.”

Each grade had the opportunity for adoration and confession during the day.

In the afternoon, the school gathered for Mass. Father Engo was the celebrant, with Deacon Jim Bello, director of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Knoxville, assisting.

In his homily, Father Engo encouraged the students to be bold in their faith in a world that increasingly turns away from God. “You have all these talents and gifts. God gave you these for a reason,” he said. “God gave you these gifts and talents to be used for a purpose. God doesn’t give you gifts to hide or use for yourself. He gives you these gifts to build up His kingdom. He gives you these gifts so He can lead other souls to Christ. You can help others come out of their darkness, you can help others come through healing, and you can help others find God.” Following Mass, a group of seniors along with Father Engo and Deacon Bello processed the Eucharist through the school campus.

“Being a part of the procession was really cool because Jesus was exposed, and I got to be a part of holding the canopy, which was cool,” Ian said.

Students lined the halls, kneeling and praying as the procession passed. Just before the procession, Father Engo had spoken to them about the woman who reached out and touched the tassel of Jesus’ garment for healing. He encouraged anyone who needed personal healing to not be afraid to reach out to Christ. As the procession passed by, several students reverently reached out to touch the tassel of the humeral veil, the cloth wrapped around the base of the monstrance holding the Eucharist.

“It was wonderful to be in His presence today and an honor to help out,” senior Paul Liulevicious said. He helped carry the canopy over the monstrance during the procession.

“My favorite part was the proces-

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Eucharist continued from page A1

sion,” said senior David Carlson, who also helped with the procession. “I felt close to God and Jesus, and it meant a lot to me.”

“I thought that was so beautiful to have Christ walk through the places that matter to us, the hallways these students walk through, the commons area where they eat lunch with their friends, have His presence bless every space that they enter and have them remember that Christ really is with us— He’s walking these halls with us,” Sister Madeline Rose said.

The procession concluded in the gymnasium, where the student body gathered again for the Benediction. The rosaries made earlier in the day by the seniors were gifted to the underclassmen as a reminder of the day and of the prayers prayed for them by the senior class.

The retreat has left outgrowing effects on the KCHS community.

“I think the eucharistic procession was really impactful,” Sister Madeline Rose said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many of our students so engaged in worship as they were in that procession—just the way that they knelt, the number of students who reached out to touch the humeral veil. There was something really beautiful and very tangible about that.”

She noted that the difference was not just in the students but in the faculty as well.

“Another really beautiful grace is on the faculty end. I feel like we as a faculty are really united and in awe of each other’s gifts in a deeper way because of how involved everyone was in making this retreat happen. … It has really bonded us together as a faculty, and I think there’s something really beautiful there, too, that we’re all taking ownership of really strengthening the faith lives of our students.

“I think we’re approaching Mass in a different way since having experienced that procession. I think there is a very real grace there that will continue to be unpacked throughout the year. There’s something different about the atmosphere here after the retreat,” Sister Madeline Rose concluded. ■

“I think we’re approaching Mass in a different way since having experienced that procession. I think there is a very real grace there that will continue to be unpacked throughout the year. There’s something different about the atmosphere here after the retreat.””

DR. KELLY KEARSE (2)

— Sister Madeline Rose Kraemer, OP Knoxville Catholic High School religion teacher

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his or her daily life by living the Gospel realities discovered on the weekend. The Cursillista is called to continue discovering and deepening friendships in each of the three encounters discovered on the weekend. The Cursillista is now in a state of progressive conversion and is ‘evangelizing’ and ‘being Christian’ where God has placed him, in his everyday environments,” according to the National Cursillo Movement.

Father Waraksa, associate pastor of St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga, remembers making his Cursillo in Cleveland when he was assigned to St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish after being involved in a Search for Christian Maturity high school retreat as a youth.

He pointed out that Search had an impact on his faith, and he learned that Search came from Cursillo as did Marriage Encounter and other movements within the Church.

Father Waraksa, who noted that he was involved in the Diocese of Knoxville’s first Cursillo weekend 25 years ago, emphasized that a number of Church movements, like peer ministry and lay ministry, are linked to Cursillo.

“I sought it out. As a seminarian, I encountered Cursillistas at St. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain who were grouping every Saturday morning. To see what motivated these people, what moved them to grow and to encounter Christ and to want to live their faith made me want to seek out Cursillo, and I lived the first one that was here.

Father (Joe) Brando was guiding it then. I have been helping with Cursillo since then,” Father Waraksa said.

He and Father Iorio recalled the Diocese of Knoxville priests who were leaders in the diocesan Cursillo movement, including Father Brando, Monsignor Xavier Mankel, Monsignor Bob Hofstetter, Monsignor Al Humbrecht, and Father Paul Valleroy.

Father Waraksa’s Cursillo has led him to leadership positions within the diocese and within the national Cursillo Movement, including serving as spiritual adviser for the national Cursillo Movement.

“God uses all of us, and God calls us to be leaders. A leader is just bringing someone to Christ.

It’s not always standing in front and being the public leaders that we think of but one who says, ‘Be my friend; I know Christ; Come to know Christ.’ It doesn’t have to be complicated. Anyone who has been a parent is a leader. If you’ve shown anyone how to do something you’re a leader. It’s very important,” Father Waraksa said.

“But the most important part is about Christ. If you ever tell someone what He means in your life and try to enliven His presence in their life, you’re a leader. These are very simple and important things. I’m very blessed that when I searched for Cursillo I found it, and I’ve been able to help since then,” he added.

Father Waraksa encourages Catholics to continue searching out to do Christ’s work, just as Cursillo emphasizes.

“Cursillo is one method among many. It’s blessed many lives.

Sometimes it’s the first profound experience in Christ. It can have a very special place in their hearts, and they would like to help others to have that experience of God’s love for them,” said Father Waraksa, who noted that Christ must be at the center of our lives.

“If He isn’t, we can lose our motivation, desire, and the reason we are serving other people. It has to be the call of Christ and for Christ so that others will know Him. Essential things are very simple to Cursillo. That is why friendship is something we’re all capable of. It’s not something beyond us or apart from us. Christ is the one who calls us to friendship with Him and to bring others to Him through that friendship,” he continued.

Sara Carey of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville grew up in Sacred A14 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

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Cursillo celebration Top photo: Bishop Richard F. Stika receives the gifts from Cursillistas during Mass commemorating the 25th anniversary of Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville. Middle photo: a Cursillo quartet leads the music liturgy during the anniversary Mass. Bottom photo: Bishop Stika, who is a Cursillista, celebrates the Catholic movement's East Tennessee anniversary on Oct. 1 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus parish hall with fellow Cursillistas and their families.

Heart Parish and then went away to graduate school. She made her Cursillo while she was away.

“When I came back, I called the diocesan office to ask if there was a Cursillo in the diocese. They said yes and they put me in contact with at that time Father Evan Eckhoff, who is now deceased. He said yes, there was a movement that was just getting started,” recalled Ms. Carey, who said the 25th anniversary is significant.

She remembered that a couple of meetings were held at the Chancery to get Cursillo started and that there were enough interested parishioners to form a team for the diocese’s first Cursillo weekend in October 1997. Father Eckhoff was a priest in the Order of Friars (OFM) and served in the Diocese of Knoxville from 1993 to 2010. He died in November 2011.

“Now that it’s been around for 25 years and to know that I was a part of it at the beginning, it’s very rewarding to see that it is still going,” Ms. Carey said.

Ms. Carey explained that Cursillo weekends are divided for men and women because the talks are personalized. She noted that Cursillo is for everyone, from young adults to older individuals, including retirees.

“It’s a big deal. Cursillo teaches you to live your faith in everyday life. They talk about apostolates.

Different people have different apostolates. For some people it’s their family. For some people it’s their job. For some people it’s a particular ministry they’re in. It’s basically how can you live your everyday life and your faith together,” Ms. Carey pointed out.

“They talk about the three legs of Cursillo. They use the image of the three-legged stool, and the three

legs are piety, study, and action.

So, if you have a prayer life, you’re going to Mass and receiving the sacraments, if you have formation or study, such as you’re reading good things like Scripture or you’re in Bible study or learning about the saints, whatever that happens to be, then that will help you have that action that helps you to evangelize and tell your story about your relationship with Christ and hopefully bring others to Him,” she added.

Bishop Stika fondly remembers making his Cursillo and praises the impact the movement has had on the Church.

“I did my Cursillo in St. Louis about 18 years ago. These movements in the Church are significant because they appeal to a particular group. Cursillo began in Spain and involves the three talks on that first weekend, which keeps the flame of faith alive in our hearts,” the bishop said. “So many people have benefited from this process and the renewal in that. It’s a beautiful thing. There are all these precious gifts within the Church, like Cursillo, and sometimes people don’t realize that. The witness of Cursillo and the people who have gone through it are the best advertising you can have. It’s the witness to the faith. It’s a real blessing.”

Joe Szmidt of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa has been in Cursillo since 1997. The metallurgical engineer explained that he worked for Alcoa and was at one time assigned to the aluminum manufacturer’s Hong Kong office. He and his wife were new to the Catholic Church, and someone invited them to a Cursillo weekend.

“That first weekend was a very moving weekend. I probably would not be as involved in the Church without the impact of Cursillo,”

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Mr. Szmidt said. “It’s a movement where the Holy Spirit talked to me directly. It touched my heart.

It brings an emotion out that you just don’t experience from anything else.”

The Cursillo group at Our Lady of Fatima meets each Saturday following the 8 a.m. Mass, according to Mr. Szmidt. He said the Cursillo men and women meet separately.

Frequently, the Cursillistas join for an Ultreya, or large gathering of men and women from across the diocese.

“Cursillo is not a movement that does service projects. What it does is it touches your heart so that you move on to other things,” Mr. Szmidt further explained.

Father Iorio calls Our Lady of Fatima the center of Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville “just because we have so many folks who are Cursillistas.”

The pastor of Our Lady of Fatima said it is spiritually uplifting to see Cursillo active in the diocese 25 years later.

“I first encountered the word Cursillo when I was growing up at St. Augustine in Signal Mountain because that is where solid men who were leaders and involved in the parish were involved in Cursillo, I learned, and they grouped every Saturday morning in the parish rectory. When I became pastor there in 2004-06, they encouraged me to make the weekend. That is the beginning of it for me,” Father Iorio said.

Father Iorio made his Cursillo weekend in 2005 with now-Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. at Eagle Rock Retreat Center in Blount County.

Father Iorio is grateful to Cursillo because he understands that the Search for Christian Maturity retreat is based on the Cursillo model.

“And that was very powerful for me in my own faith journey. I would even have to say it inspired me to consider priesthood through that Search for Christian Maturity retreat. It was far-reaching, very influential,” he said.

Father Iorio sees the Holy Spirit at work as his faith journey and vocation have led him to Our Lady of Fatima, where Cursillo is so active.

“Active parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima are dedicated to it and to keeping it going. They group, often on a Saturday morning, as they come to morning Mass at 8 a.m.

They’re always excited to bring new folks to Christ, and I’m always happy to support them in any way that I can,” Father Iorio said.

“For me now as a priest, looking back over time, some of the men who were participants on the weekend or leaders on the weekend, I had been their pastor sometimes and even have had their funerals. It all kind of comes around in God’s great big embrace of love,” he continued, noting that Deacon Jacobs is one of those active parishioners who also serves as the spiritual adviser for Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville.

Deacon Jacobs would like to see more Diocese of Knoxville parishes involved in Cursillo. The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is among parishes currently surveying members to gauge their interest in forming Cursillo groups.

“Cursillo changes lives. It changed my life for the better.

It pointed me in the direction of Christ, and it’s beautiful in its simplicity. It’s not complicated. It’s not hard to do. And the most important thing—it’s not a retreat. The threeday Cursillo Weekend sets you up for what we call the fourth day, which is the rest of your life,” Deacon Jacobs explained.

“We have weekly groupings of men and women getting together, reinforcing their faith, and encouraging each other to progress in piety, in study, and in action. Also, it’s to bring those things that you learn to be active in the community, to bring others to Christ. It’s the only retreat I know of that has that ongoing aspect to it, that we can keep learning, keep growing in the movement together instead of just Cursillo continued on page A15 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

BILL BREWER (7)

De Colores!

Top left: Judy Holt holds the cake that commemorated the 25th anniversary of Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville.

Top right: Father Alex Waraksa addresses the crowd of Cursillistas during the anniversary celebration in the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus parish hall on Oct. 1.

Middle left: Cursillo leader Israel Figueroa shares his story of becoming a Cursillista.

Middle right: Deacon Bill Jacobs, spiritual adviser for Cursillo in the Diocese of Knoxville, looks over Cursillo's local history.

Above: Father Alex Waraksa, left, and Father Peter Iorio take part in the celebration.

Above right: Father Waraksa, joined by a Cursillista, share their Cursillo story.

Right: Bishop Richard F. Stika, Father Waraksa, and Father Iorio are joined by Cursillo members for a group photo at the 25thanniversary luncheon following the anniversary Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Oct. 1.

Cursillo continued from page A14

having a nice feel-good three days, and then a week later you forgot it. That is the beautiful thing about Cursillo,” he added.

Deacon Jacobs pointed out that Cursillo has been a source of many vocations to the Church, certainly to the permanent diaconate.

“Many people who have been in Cursillo have been driven to other ministries, other ways to serve the Lord in their parishes and in their communities. It’s just a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, ever since 25 years ago, but also since the 1940s, too,” he said. “Bishop Stika is a Cursillista, which is why he is here. Father Peter Iorio and Father Alex Waraksa also are Cursillistas. It’s just a great way to grow in faith. It changed my life completely, and we want to bring that change to lots of others.

It’s a diocesan movement; it’s not TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

a parish movement per se. Some parishes are more active in Cursillo than others. We have active communities in Johnson City, in Chattanooga, at Our Lady of Fatima, and in Crossville as well.”

In his homily during the Cursillo anniversary Mass, Bishop Stika said a Catholic can witness to God and to faith, but there are certain things that are just without explanation.

“Those ingredients invite us to try to discover God. Isn’t that what the weekend talks are about? When laity and clergy, people who have discovered the beauty of Cursillo come together and wish to share that with others, it opens the door.

It is the unwrapping of that package,” he said. “All of you are here, and you represent other people who were touched by the gift of Cursillo. For 25 years in this diocese, that gift has been proclaimed and lived. Anytime we gather to-

gether in the Eucharist and Mass, we do so in thanksgiving. The word ‘Eucharist’ means thanksgiving… we give thanks to almighty God.” Bishop Stika asked those at the Mass to continue to witness to what has touched their lives—Cursillo—so that they may continue to grow within the Diocese of Knoxville and throughout the world in the very special gift given to them: to accept Jesus’ invitation to know His Father and be inflamed by the Holy Spirit.

“That’s what we do this day, on this first day of October, we give thanks to God for that movement that began in Spain in the 1940s, when Spain was torn apart by civil war and war throughout the world.

So, maybe it’s very significant at this time when we hear about the atrocities and craziness going on, such as in the Ukraine and other parts of the world and even in our

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own country, that precious relationship we are invited to through things like Cursillo to know God through Jesus and through St. Thérèse and all those saints who have gone before us and have taught us by the virtue of witness,” he said. “So, continue to witness to that which has touched your lives: Cursillo.”

Judy Holt of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City was among the Cursillistas attending the anniversary Mass who were appreciating what Bishop Stika was preaching.

Ms. Holt, who has been in Cursillo for 40 years and became a Cursillista in the Diocese of Charleston, S.C., where she made her Cursillo in October 1982, said what most, if not all, the Cursillistas feel.

“Cursillo has follow-up. I have accountability. I have friends. I thirst for Cursillo like water,” she said. ■ NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A15

Pope Francis: ‘May the Church be overcome with joy’ Holy Father gives comments during Mass as world recognizes Vatican II anniversary

By Hannah Brockhaus Catholic News Agency

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

O

Prayer of a peer Pope Francis prays before a glass urn containing the remains of St. John XXIII after celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Oct. 11 to mark the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. but of love. For those who love, as the Apostle Paul teaches, do everything without murmuring.”

The Mass marked the 60th anniversary of the day the Second Vatican Council was opened by St. John

Pope continued on page A21

BILL BREWER (3)

n the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis encouraged Catholics to leave behind criticism and anger and to live the faith with joy.

“May the Church be overcome with joy. If she should fail to rejoice, she would deny her very self, for she would forget the love that begot her,” the pope said during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct. 11.

“Yet,” he continued, “how many of us are unable to live the faith with joy, without grumbling and criticizing? A Church in love with Jesus has no time for quarrels, gossip, and disputes. May God free us from being critical and intolerant, harsh, and angry. This is not a matter of style

XXIII on Oct. 11, 1962. The council closed on Dec. 8, 1965.

Oct. 11 also is celebrated as St. John XXIII’s feast day in the Catholic Church.

In his homily, Pope Francis encouraged members of the Church to return “to the council’s pure sources of love.”

“Let us rediscover the council’s passion and renew our own passion for the council,” he said. “Immersed in the mystery of the Church, Mother and Bride, let us also say, with St. John XXIII: Gaudet Mater Ecclesia.”

Francis also warned Catholics about the strategy of the devil, who sows weeds of division among the faithful. “Let us not succumb to his flattery, let us not give in to the temptation of polarization,” he urged.

Standing up for Haiti Left photo: Supporters of the Haiti Outreach Program sign in at the non-profit organization's annual fundraising dinner on Oct. 7 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus parish hall. Middle photo: Haiti Outreach Program leaders include, from left front row, Dr. Junior Bazile, Matt Webster, back row from left, Dr. Jordan Pyda, Frank Murphy, Colby Dorcely, Dr. Dean Mire, and Father David Boettner. Right photo: Haiti supporters attending the annual fundraising dinner look over items being sold to benefit mission work in Haiti through the Haiti Outreach Program.

Mission continued from page A5 believe we will continue to see better days in Haiti,” Dr. Bazile concluded.

The fundraising event’s organizer, Bob Grimac, coordinated a team of volunteers to transform the Cathedral Hall into a tropical paradise.

Guests were treated to delicious food from Goodness to Go, Naf Naf Grill, Pokeworks, La Flor Bakery, Fazolis, and sides and desserts made by volunteers. Haitian flags adorned the walls and tables, colorful flowers filled the space, and music by the Brian Sward Duo and Edmond Edward playing Caribbean music on a steel drum set the mood for a memorable evening.

“These events bring people together for a good cause. We can’t travel to Haiti right now so doing our part at home to raise funds to support Haiti continued from page A5 sure that this is what God is asking of me now.”

According to the sister, the situation is indescribable, gets worse by the day, and has also affected her mission, an orphanage in one of the most dangerous slums in the world. “Around a month ago they set fire to our chapel. Everything was burned. The altar, the pews…

There is nothing left. The Blessed Sacrament was saved because I always take it somewhere safe when I leave.”

The conditions in which she lives when in Haiti are incredibly difficult. The slum began to be built 20 years ago on the site of the capital’s rubbish dump, and it is now home to over 100,000 people who live in zinc-covered huts with no running water or electricity. Sister Marcela was the only nun in the mission now, as the other sister who started it with her had to return to Italy following the severe shock she suffered during the 2010 earthquake, when they lost everything.

“For the past year I have been unable to leave to go to Mass in the morning, because the gangs close the slum, and nobody is allowed in or out. This is very difficult for me, very difficult,” she explained.

A16 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

these wonderful activities enables us to embody Dr. Farmer’s ‘faith in the value of action,’” said Matt Webster, chairman of the Haiti Outreach Program.

To learn more about the Haiti Outreach Program’s efforts, visit www.haitioutreachknoxville.com.

The Knoxville Haiti Outreach Program has plans to resume its medical missions to Haiti as soon as travel is allowed. Political and civil strife in Haiti have halted on-site mission work by the outreach program and many other U.S. organizations that do outreach in the Caribbean country.

Dr. Mire and his team of medical missionaries have offered medical care to Haitians for years, making at least one trip a year. They and other volunteers with the Haiti Outreach Program

“It seems like nobody in the world is interested in what Haiti is going through. Of course, there are plenty of other problems in the world, especially in Europe, which is focused on what is going on in Ukraine and Russia and gripped with fear. But you should not forget the other places in the world, like the people of Haiti, who have been enduring conflicts not just for some years, but all their lives.”

It was reported in October that the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding an immediate end to violence and criminal activity in Haiti and imposing sanctions on individuals and groups threatening peace and stability in the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation.

The resolution was approved by all 15 council nations, according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press also reported that Haiti's government agreed to request the help of international armed forces as gangs and protesters paralyze the country and basic supplies including fuel and water dwindle.

However, many Haitians are rejecting proposals to request another international intervention to bring about peace and stability. ■

have been instrumental in the construction of a medical clinic and a school in Haiti.

A long-awaited flight landed in Port-au-Prince on June 13 with solar panels and a refrigerator to store life-saving vaccines.

Efforts to acquire the solar panels and refrigerator and transport them via chartered plane were organized by Mr. Stair, Mr. Webster, and other volunteers. Once in Port-au-Prince, they were sent to the clinic in Bouly, a remote village accessible only by foot through rough mountainous terrain. It typically is a six-hour hike from Boucan-Carré, where Sacred Heart’s sister parish, St. Michel, is located.

The Diocese of Knoxville has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid to Haiti, including more than $65,000 late last year to assist in relief for a devastating 2021 earthquake. ■

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

Advent penance services scheduled around the diocese

A

dvent 2022 begins on Sunday, Nov. 27, and continues through Saturday, Dec.

Shrine continued from page A4 to draw people seeking solace and reflection under Mary’s intercession.

Every Sunday in May and October, a Marian devotion is held at the shrine, including praying a rosary.

Interestingly, this Marian shrine is located in Marion County, just outside of Chattanooga, and is regularly visited by Diocese of Knoxville

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

City, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 6—St. Michael the Archangel, Erwin, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 13—St. Mary, Johnson City, 6 p.m.; Thursday, Dec. 15—St. Henry, Rogersville, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 20—St. Dominic, Kingsport, 7 p.m.; Wednesday,

Dec. 21—Notre Dame, Greeneville, 7 p.m. n Smoky Mountain Deanery Tuesday, Dec. 6—Holy Family, Seymour (confessions), 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 13—Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa, 7 p.m. ■

New Hope in Tennessee Top left: A rear view of the Virgin of the Poor Shrine in New Hope.

Top right: Deacon Hicks Armor and Father Mark Scholz visit the shrine.

Bottom left: A view of the shrine's interior with the front gates open reveals the stone altar, where Masses are celebrated.

Bottom right: Inside the shrine are stained-glass windows that give light to a statue of the Blessed Mother.

JIM WOGAN (4)

24.

As the Diocese of Knoxville looks toward Advent, churches around the diocese are announc-

ing Advent penance services.

Here are the Advent penance services received as of press time: n Five Rivers Deanery Tuesday, Nov. 29—St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 30—Holy Trinity, Jefferson

parishioners as well as visitors from outside the diocese.

Parishioners from the Diocese of Knoxville journeyed to the shrine in June 2020 to take part in a worldwide event encompassing Catholic churches from around the globe.

East Tennessee’s participation in the 11th annual Global Rosary Relay took place at the shrine, one of the

few Roman Catholic shrines in the state.

Participants in the relay prayed the rosary to thank God for priests and to ask the Blessed Mother’s protection for priests. The annual relay was sponsored by the Worldpriest Global Apostolate.

Father Mark Scholz, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, and the parishion-

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ers of Our Lady of Lourdes continue to care for the shrine and welcome pilgrims.

Anyone wanting more information about visiting the shrine or wanting to make a donation toward its maintenance can contact Our Lady of Lourdes Church, ourladyoflourdesparish.org, or (423) 8377068. ■

NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A17

DR. KELLY KEARSE (7)

Rosary continued from page A12

was prayed in 14 languages.

She said the languages spoken in the 2022 multilingual rosary were English, Spanish, Tagalog, Italian, Swahili, Korean, Polish, the Mayan dialect of Akateco, French, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Korean, and Latin.

Some 150 people participated in the rosary, with all who attended receiving a rosary blessed by Cardinal Justin Rigali.

Mrs. Primm noted that between the recitation of the rosary decades, songs from the Polish and Korean communities were sung as were songs in Spanish and English.

“All the songs expressed the longing for an encounter with the Lord, our common Father, and our identity as a human family, members of one Church,” she said.

A number of the prayers were for God to heal the current woes of the world.

“We also pray for young people with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, and for an end to the persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, Africa, and the Middle East. We also prayed that the governments of each country work for the common good and respect human dignity from conception to natural death, and for all migrants who have died trying to cross the border, so that these deaths do not ever happen again. We also especially prayed for children traveling without the company of safe adults or their parents, and for the reunification of their families and for their A18 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

safety,” Mrs. Primm said.

She explained that prayers and reflections also had a local tie during the rosary.

“Before beginning the rosary, Deacon Rafael Pubillones from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City gave a reflection in English and Spanish on immigration. He, like many of those present, is also an immigrant, and together with his family was forced to leave communist Cuba when he was very young, going through much suffering and discomfort,” Mrs. Primm said.

“He stressed that as disciples of Christ and members of the Church we need to go out to meet our immigrant brothers and sisters regardless of their immigration status, and he shared the following biblical passage from Isaiah 61: ‘The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because he has anointed me. He has sent me to announce the good news to the poor, to bind up broken hearts; to proclaim liberation to captives and liberty to prisoners; to proclaim a year of grace from Yahweh, a day of vengeance from our God to console all those who mourn,’” she continued.

In his reflections, Deacon Pubillones prayed for the intercession of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants.

The multicultural rosary is very meaningful for Kasia Golec because it allows participants to witness God’s diversity in the Church in East Tennessee.

Ms. Golec, a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, has been active in organizing the Polish Catholic community in the

Diocese of Knoxville. The cathedral hosts a monthly Polish Mass celebrated by Father Martin Gładysz and Bishop Richard F. Stika.

“It was so great to take a break from our busy lives and get together to pray the multilingual rosary and meditate on the mysteries in so many languages. Praying the rosary helps re-orientate ourselves to Christ, who can lift us out of ourselves and our sin, and teaches us again and again how important it is to love our brothers and sisters regardless of the nationality or the language they speak,” Ms. Golec said.

Bernard Nsengiyaremye of Holy Ghost Parish was among those taking part in the multicultural rosary. He regularly attends the Swahili Mass at Holy Ghost.

Mr. Nsengiyaremye was as spiritually uplifted to be able to pray in his native African language, Swahili, as others prayed in their native languages as he is at the monthly Swahili Masses at Holy Ghost.

“I’m overjoyed to have that moment again in life to pray to God in my own language. You can feel a deep sense of communicating with the Lord in your own language. And you can feel that you are not alone. It meant so much to me to participate in the multilingual rosary. It reminded me of being home praying to Jesus like a child talking to his or her own mother,” Mr. Nsengiyaremye said.

“Saying the rosary in multiple languages gave me the sense of the Holy Spirit at work. It was an inspiration among believers. When a child talks to his or her mother, he is sure that the mother understands very well the

www.di o k no x .o rg

Celebrating a diverse faith Diocese of Knoxville parishioners from many nationalities gathered on Sept. 23 to pray the rosary at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The second annual multicultural rosary celebrated the sacred prayers and intentions made to the Blessed Mother and highlighted diversity in the diocese, which offers Masses in a variety of languages at churches across East Tennessee.

need of the child, and there’s no stressful moment. It was the same for the multilingual rosary,” he further said.

Dr. Al Hazari and his wife, Marcelle, shared Mr. Nsengiyaremye’s feelings.

“The multilingual rosary was very spirit-filled. My wife, Marcelle, and I felt that we were present there witnessing the day of Pentecost when everyone was speaking in tongues,” said Dr. Hazari, a retired University of Tennessee chemistry professor and a native of Lebanon in the Middle East.

The diocesan celebration of immigrants and refugees continued after the rosary as food from the different countries was on display at the Chancery for all to enjoy.

Mrs. Primm said the fellowship was an important aspect in recognizing National Migration Week and World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

“At the end of the rosary, we gathered at the Chancery of the diocese to share delicious meals from the countries represented. We shared conversations that allowed us to strengthen the bond between us. It was a festival of color and flavor, but especially of love between brethren in faith,” she said. “We invite you next year, so that, God willing, you can participate in this prayer for all the immigrants of the world in this great celebration of unity and diversity in the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Knoxville. If you wish to pray this rosary in other parts of the diocese, you can contact us to coordinate this effort.”

The Office of Hispanic Ministry can be reached at dioknox.org/ apostoladohispano, 865-584-3307, or bprimm@dioknox.org. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

TRL continued from page A7

overturns it. And that brings me to my next point: we are always one General Assembly away from overturning all that we have done. . . . We need to remain vigilant in electing leaders in this state and in our communities who uphold the value of life.”

Mr. Brewer introduced several people who hold public office who were attending the banquet, including state Rep. Dave Wright, state Rep. Michele Carringer, state Sen. Becky Duncan Massey, and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.

U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett was the next speaker, and he began by saluting former state Rep. Bill Dunn of Knoxville, who also attended the banquet.

“It is a pleasure being here with my dear friend Bill Dunn. I served 16 years with him in the legislature, and the reality is a lot of this wouldn’t have happened in Tennessee if it wasn’t for Bill Dunn and his leadership,” Rep. Burchett said.

Rep. Burchett recalled where he was in Washington when the Dobbs decision came down.

“When I got to the demonstrations in front of the Supreme Court building, I was met with an incredible celebration. There was prayer, there were people holding hands, singing, crying. They even had a bubble machine,” he said. “As Mr. Brewer stated, the fight is not over for the pro-life movement,” Rep. Burchett said.

“We’re not done because Roe v.

Wade was overturned. We can’t give up the fight, and one major battleground is at the polls,” he said. “The last presidential election, about 20 to 30 million so-called evangelical Christians didn’t show up to vote, 20 to 30 million across this great country. That means about 20 to 30 million evangelical Christians allowed a radical proabortion presidential candidate to take office and appoint a judge to the United States Supreme Court who will be there for probably over 30 years. A pro-abortion president and Congress may also be able to change the makeup and size of the Supreme Court. Get this: they don’t get it the way they want, so they change the size of the court. We need to really think about that in this election cycle.”

The congressman further talked about President Joe Biden’s administration’s use of the FBI in recent weeks.

“The Biden administration was able to weaponize the FBI to arrest unarmed pro-life activists in their homes in front of their children right here in the state of Tennessee,” Rep. Burchett said. “However, they aren’t showing nearly the same dedication to arresting the vandals who have targeted around 70 pro-life pregnancy centers since the Dobbs v. Jackson decision was released. . . . We need to treat these unborn, sweet little babies with no voice with the love we have for Jesus Christ. One of the simplest ways we can love these little sweet babies is by voting for leaders who will protect them.”

Mrs. Dunn took the microphone again.

“We’ve dreamed of this day, and now we’re here,” said Mrs. Dunn, who is a member of Holy Ghost Parish. “Each of you is in this place, in that seat, at that table for this moment in time. God’s providence never fails us.”

The TRL president looked back at the time period from Jan. 22, 1973, to June 24, 2022.

“Forty-nine years, five months, and two days of fasting and praying, begging God to help us change all this,” she said. “Forty-nine years, five months, and two days of marches, oratory contests, life chains, sidewalk counseling, voting, fair booths, Sunday school and homeschool curricula, letters to the editor, trips to Nashville, emails, neighborhood meetings, and church gatherings.”

Remembering when

Mrs. Dunn spoke of the origins of

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

DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)

Pro-life lawmakers

An answer to prayers Pro-life supporters in the Diocese of Knoxville, including from left, Father Alex Hernandez, Stacy Dunn, Angel Brewer, Father John Dowling, and Paul Simoneau, praise the Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade.

“No court in Tennessee can come after our trigger law. It is set in stone until a General Assembly, God forbid, far in the future, overturns it. And that brings me to my next point: we are always one General Assembly away from overturning all that we have done. . . . We need to remain vigilant in electing leaders in this state and in our communities who uphold the value of life.””

— Will Brewer Tennessee Right to Life legal counsel Tennessee Right to Life.

“After the [Roe] decision was released [on Jan. 22, 1973], three ladies in Knoxville got together,” she said. “They decided they couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, so they wrote a letter to the editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel decrying the Supreme Court decision, talking about the injustice of it all. I know you’re going to be shocked to learn that the Sentinel refused to run that letter. Funny, how in 49 years, five months, and two days, some things never change. So instead of accepting defeat, these ladies formed Tennessee Volunteers for Life, which eventually became Tennessee Right to Life, and here we are today.

What if those three ladies hadn’t taken action?”

Nearly 20 years after Roe, the Supreme Court had a chance to undo its 1973 decision.

“In 1992, there was hope that the high court would overturn Roe in the case of Planned Parenthood v.

Casey, but guess what?” Mrs. Dunn said. “Sandra Day O’Connor, a Reagan appointee, sided with the abortion justices to affirm Roe. This was a crushing blow, and looking back, we have to wonder why we didn’t quit.

But pro-lifers don’t want to quit. We don’t really know how.

“The abortion numbers climbed to an all-time high in 1990, when more than 1,600,000 babies were aborted.

In 1993 our Mother’s Day ad pointed out the sad fact that every third baby was killed by abortion.”

Mrs. Dunn said TRL doesn’t receive any funding for its efforts.

“Unlike Planned Parenthood, who gets half a billion of your tax dollars every year, we don’t receive any government funding for the work that we’re doing, but that’s OK,” she said. “Through the years, our friends—you—have never failed us, and we’re grateful.

“Of course, the most inspiring fundraiser we’ve done throughout the years is this: the banquet. TRL has been hosting great speakers for decades. Many of our active volunteers tell us that the first pro-life event they ever attended was the banquet, and from then they were hooked.”

The number of abortion providers in the state sharply declined over the years, Mrs. Dunn said.

“In Tennessee in 1982, there were 128 abortion facilities. In Knoxville, we had three facilities,” she said.

“Across the state, those facilities shut down one by one. Our legislation was making a difference. It was ruining their profit business model. Last year before Roe was overturned, there were only seven abortion facilities in the state. Lives were saved.”

Mrs. Dunn recalled the Mother’s Day ad that TRL used to run in the Knoxville News Sentinel for many years, at considerable cost to TRL. “When the Knoxville News Sentinel

refused to report the truth about Amendment 1, we decided that we would never again send a dollar to that newspaper,” she said. “Remember when this appeared one Sunday morning in your paper?” she added as she showed a slide of an ad. “They compared you to the Taliban during Amendment 1.

God’s hand closed that door, but He always opens another. The billboard campaign was born. It has grown every year since 2015, until this past year in 2022, the campaign went statewide with our ‘Follow the Science’ message. These boards have been a great teaching tool in reaching hundreds of thousands of people. But if the Sentinel had not failed in its mission of journalism, we would have never embarked on that billboard project.”

Choose Life license plates are an-

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other TRL project, Mrs. Dunn said.

“How many of you have the Choose Life plate on your car? How many of you know it was a fight for you to get that little baby on your car?” she said. “We passed the bill in 2003 to have a Choose Life plate in Tennessee, but guess what?

Planned Parenthood immediately challenged the bill. But that’s always been what Planned Parenthood does. They go to the courts. In Tennessee, they knew they couldn’t win in public opinion or in our prolife legislature, but, boy, they love the courts. So, when the Choose Life plate was passed, they challenged it. The case was appealed to the 6th Circuit, where they upheld the plate, ruling that it was OK for a state to prefer childbirth over abortion. And that is what Tennessee wanted to do: to prefer life over death. I think there’s a Scripture about that.”

Angel Brewer, TRL state treasurer and education director for the Knox County chapter, interviewed several special guests at the banquet.

“It was important even in the early years to stand for life in a public way and to publicly pray for an end to the legalized killing,” she said. “So, what did you do? You marched. We have marched every year around the day of Jan. 22.

We’ve marched through rain, snow, and sleet. We’ve marched with a few hundred, and we’ve marched with a few thousand. Jan. 22, 2023, marks the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. We are going to have one last march to remember all the babies that have been killed and all the mothers whose lives have been changed forever, and then we’re going to move our celebration to June 24 and remember all of the lives that will be saved in Tennessee.”

This was your life

Mrs. Brewer, a longtime member of Holy Ghost Parish, spoke to Duane and Debbie Donahoo of All Saints Parish in Knoxville and to David Profitt and Carol Zimmerman. Mr. Profitt and Mrs. Zimmerman, who is president of TRL’s TRL continued on page A21

Pilgrimage to

POLAND with Fr. Marcin Gladysz 10 Days July 17-26, 2023

For More Information Contact: Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 lisam@select-intl.com selectinternationaltours.com

NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A19

Faithful Departed

Sr. Albertine Paulus, long-serving diocesan religious, dies

DEACON PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY

S

ister Mary Albertine Paulus, RSM, died peacefully on Oct. 23 at Mercy Convent in Nashville. She was 93 and had served as a Sister of Mercy for 73 years.

Sister Albertine was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Albert and Ella Paulus, and her brother, Jim Paulus. She is survived by her beloved family: brother T.J. Paulus, sister-in law Sue Paulus, seven nephews, a niece, greatnieces and great-nephews, and a great-great-niece as well as her cherished community of the Sisters of Mercy.

Sister Albertine was born in Ithaca, N.Y., but grew up in Knoxville, where her father was a professor at the University of Tennessee. After attending UT for a couple of years, she entered the Sisters of Mercy in February 1949.

She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics at Edgecliff College in Cincinnati and Peabody College in Nashville.

Untold numbers of elementary, high school, and college students received instruction from her in her 32-year teaching career in schools in Nashville, Memphis,

Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM and Knoxville, and in Cincinnati and Toledo in Ohio. While serving as coordinator for St. Bernard Convent in Nashville, Sister Albertine began her close association with St. Mary’s Medical Center in Knoxville, where she served as a board member in 1977.

In 1986, Sister Albertine was asked to serve the Diocese of Nashville as director of the RENEW parish renewal program.

When that program ended in

Sr. Mary Dennis Lentsch Sister Mary Dennis Lentsch, PBVM, 85, died on Aug. 13 at the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent at Mount Loretto in Dubuque, Iowa.

Sister Mary Dennis, daughter of Raymond and Joann (Collins), was born Elizabeth Ann Lentsch on Jan. 15, 1937, in Vincent, Iowa. She entered the Sisters of the Presentation from Clare, Iowa, on Sept.

8, 1954, and professed her perpetual vows on Aug. Sr. Mary Dennis 22, 1962.

Sister Mary Dennis taught science and math in Osage, Charles City, Mason City, Dubuque, and Waterloo in Iowa, and in Winona, Minn.

After 25 years of teaching, her ministry took her to rural Appalachia, where she worked in nonprofit organizations in East Tennessee, offering empowerment and advocacy. She actively worked for a nuclear-free future, ministered in the Diocese of Knoxville Office of JusticePeace-Integrity-of-Creation, and offered hospitality for homeless people in New Orleans.

Sister Mary Dennis was passionate about peace and justice issues, not just by verbally supporting them, but by participating in several non-violent protests, some of which yielded jail and prison time for her.

Sister Mary Dennis, who celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2014 and retired to Mount Loretto in 2020, would like to be remembered as a woman who made every effort to cooperate with grace in joyfully living the Gospel of Jesus. She valued prayer and community service.

Surviving are her sisters, Maureen Hobart and Rowena White, nieces, nephews, and her Sisters of the Presentation, with whom she shared her life for 68 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister and brother-in-law, Raynette and Jim Derksen, her brother, Dennis, and her brothers-in-law Pat Hobart and Jim White.

Sister Mary Dennis donated her body to the University of Iowa for medical education and research. Memorials may be made to the Sisters of the Presentation, 2360 Carter Road, Dubuque, IA 52001 or online at: www.dbqpbvms.org.

Sr. Mary Evelyn Potts Sister Mary Evelyn Potts, OP, a member of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia for 63 years, went to her eternal reward on Aug. 11. She was 81.

Born in Chattanooga, Sister Mary Evelyn was the daughter of the late J.D. and Clara Stolz Potts, and she attended Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. She entered the Dominican Sisters in 1959, and made her Sr. Mary Evelyn profession of vows in 1961.

Over the course of 53 years, Sister Mary Evelyn served as a teacher or principal in Catholic schools in Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, and Virginia.

In Nashville, Sister Mary Evelyn served on A20 n NOVEMBER 6, 2022

1989, the bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Knoxville invited her to establish the Office of Evangelization, where RCIA programs implemented in each parish nurtured the faith of thousands of new Catholics throughout East Tennessee. Sister Albertine held this position until 2009.

Sister Albertine’s involvement with diocesan pilgrimages began as the Jubilee Year of 2000 approached, and Pope John Paul II

all three schools of the Dominican campus operated by St. Cecilia Congregation. She served on the faculty of St. Cecilia Academy for 11 years from 1966-1977, and again from 1987-1989. She served as principal of Overbrook School from 1983-1987, and president of Aquinas College from 1994-2002. She was wellloved by her students and faculty members, as well as by members of the Dominican laity whom she assisted for several years throughout the 1990s.

In the Diocese of Knoxville, Sister Mary Evelyn served at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga from 2010-2015. For the last seven years Sister Mary Evelyn helped run Bethany Retreat House, the congregation’s retreat house in Dickson, Tenn.

She is survived by two brothers-in-law, Daniel P. Merriman, of Ringgold, Ga., and Bobby F. McKeel of Chattanooga; seven nieces, Joan Kammer, Janet Jones, Kathy Rittgers, Ann Thomas, Mary Beth Adkins, Annette Palmer, and Margaret Merriman; and a nephew, John Fox. The funeral Mass was offered on Aug. 13 at St. Cecilia Motherhouse, with many sisters, relatives, and friends in attendance.

Robert A. Montgomery A funeral Mass for Robert Aldridge “Bob” Montgomery was held on Oct. 6 at Holy Ghost Church.

Father John Dowling, pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Chattanooga, was the Mass celebrant. Father Michael Hendershott, associate pastor of Holy Ghost, was the concelebrant.

Deacon Gordy Lowery and Deacon Scott Maentz Mr. Montgomery assisted.

Mr. Montgomery, a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, died on Oct. 1 at the age of 89. He had been a member of Holy Ghost since 1961, serving on the parish council, in the choir, as a eucharistic minister, leader of the Holy Ghost weekly breakfasts, and volunteering his time and resources for St. Joseph School. He also was active in the Knights of Columbus, the Knoxville Senior Singers, and was a Scout Master with the Boy Scouts.

In addition, Mr. Montgomery devoted his time and service to Holy Ghost by maintaining the facilities, organizing the Lenten fish fries as well as leading the effort to start the St. Joseph School Fall Festival, where he and wife Betty created the barbecue and sauce that was so popular for decades. They also helped start the St. Joseph Mardi Gras each year, another key fundraiser for the school. Their signature gumbo was a Mardi Gras staple.

Mr. Montgomery served in the 8th U.S. Army honor guard during the Korean War. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and retired as a senior engineer from TVA. Mr. Montgomery is survived by sisters Barbara (Glen) Pierce and Mary Jo (David) Beauerle; children, Beth (Jim) Santella, Angela (Greg) Taylor, Robert C. (Mindy) Montgomery, Jane Gaffney, David (Ann) Montgomery, Joanna Dickenson, Teresa (Gilbert) Feliciano, Patty (Steve) Grim, Ruth Edwards, and Charles Montgomery; as well as 25 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. www.di o k no x .o rg

encouraged Catholics to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Her experience leading student trips since 1971, along with her keen organizational and teaching skills, prepared her for a fruitful ministry of planning and coordinating more than 30 pilgrimages. Hundreds of people participated in journeys to the Holy Land as well as to Rome and Assisi, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Portugal, and France, and shrines in Greece and Turkey.

Love of music was an integral part of Sister Albertine’s life. She began playing the organ in the fifth grade and became the parish organist at age 13. She planned the liturgy and played at numerous church, Mercy community, and diocesan gatherings, and helped plan the music for the ordination of two of the bishops in Knoxville.

In recognition of her dedicated work in areas of evangelization, Sister Albertine received the prestigious honor of the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, which means “for church and pontiff,” in 2006.

At her diocesan retirement in 2009, Sister Albertine said she Albertine continued on page A21

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Montgomery; sisters Harriet Bischoff (Ralph) and Nancy Montgomery; brother James Montgomery; and sons-in-law Mike Gaffney, Scott Dickenson, and T Edwards.

Pallbearers were grandsons Zachary Dickenson, Geoff Taylor, Michael Gaffney, Matthew Santella, Nathaniel Gaffney, Alexander Feliciano, and Isaac Santella. Honorary pallbearers were Tom Simpson and Bob Hanrahan.

Mr. Montgomery was buried at Lynnhurst Cemetery in Knoxville with military honors.

Donations in Mr. Montgomery’s memory can be made to Ladies of Charity, 120 W. Baxter Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917.

Gladys Herrera Gladys de las Mercedes Ball de Herrera, 87, of Knoxville joined the choir of saints on Oct. 21 suddenly and without warning.

A funeral Mass for Mrs. Herrera was held on Oct. 28 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Mrs. Herrera was born on March 16, 1935, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, as the ninth of 11 children to José Rafael Ball Lossada and Mercedes María Díaz de Ball. Her greatest loves were Jesus, her family, and the Church.

Her talents of cooking, creative storytelling, and a Mrs. Herrera kind-hearted listening ear will forever go unmatched.

She was the quintessential matriarch of her family and a leader of her beloved Catholic community in Knoxville.

She married the love of her life, Juan Antonio Herrera Pérez, on Dec. 19, 1959, in Caracas, Venezuela, and was blessed with two children.

In 1997, they moved to Knoxville to join their children and grandchildren and began attending the Spanish-language Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral and fostering a well-knit Hispanic Catholic community. One of her passions was serving the needy, tending to the sick, and feeding the hungry.

In 2018, she became a proud American citizen. Her 63-year marriage to Juan Antonio served as a beacon and example to all who witnessed their constant companionship and steadfast affection for each other. In 2015, she earned an Advanced Biblical Studies degree from the University of Dallas School of Ministry.

She is survived by her husband; sisters María Isabel Ball and Mercedes María Ball de Dominguez; children Dr. Juan Antonio Herrera (Kim) and Pérsides Zambrano (Angel Eduardo); grandchildren Lucas Antonio Herrera (Katherine), Mercedes Elena Zambrano, Maximiliano Antonio Herrera (Erika), Angel Ignacio Zambrano, and Dr. Noelle Daun Herrera; great-grandchildren Eli Antonio, Wilder Antonio, and Isabel Brinkley; cherished nieces and nephews who considered her their second mother, and all of her precious and beloved godchildren and many friends who still are with us to carry on her memory.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating time, talent, and treasure to a food bank, food pantry, or soup kitchen in Mrs. Herrera's memory. ■ TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

“How many times since the council have Christians gone out of their way to choose a side in the Church, not realizing that they were tearing their Mother’s heart,” the pope said. “How many times have they preferred to be ‘supporters of their own group’ rather than servants of all, progressives and conservatives rather than brothers and sisters, ‘of the right’ or ‘of the left’ rather than of Jesus; standing up as ‘guardians of the truth’ or ‘soloists of novelty,’ rather than recognizing themselves as humble and grateful children of holy Mother Church.”

All people are children of God and our brothers, he added. “The Lord does not want us this way: We are his sheep, his flock, and we are so only together, united. Let us overcome polarization and guard communion, let us become more and more ‘one,’ as Jesus pleaded before Albertine continued from page A20

didn’t plan to dwell on her legacy.

“We all do what we can while we’re here on this earth. It’s about doing the best you can while you have the chance. After that, it’s all in the Lord’s hands because it’s His work, not ours,” she said.

“There was something indomitable about Sister Albertine—smart, open-hearted, generous. She was a servant, single-minded in doing the good God called her to do. She continues to live in our memory as passionate, joyful, loving, brave, and daring to believe she could change the world—and she did— TRL continued from page A19

Knox County chapter, once chained themselves to an abortion machine at a Knoxville abortion clinic as part of an Operation Rescue protest.

Grace Lutheran Church pastor Rich Elseroad was Mrs. Brewer’s next interviewee.

“A lot of pastors say they’re prolife, but they don’t act pro-life,” he said. “I was always wondering, why aren’t you taking this on?

Why aren’t you mentioning this? I think one reason is lack of courage.

Courage inspires courage, and if you don’t have courage on the major issues of the day, when are you going to have courage?”

Mrs. Brewer also talked with Paul Dunn III of TRL. Mr. Dunn was an early leader of Tennessee Right to Life.

“It’s worth noting that every single abortion facility that we stood at and prayed at is closed now,” Mrs. Brewer said.

She interviewed former state Rep. Dunn and Will Brewer as well.

The former lawmaker recalled how he first ran for the state legislature in 1994 when it did not have a pro-life supermajority.

Church,” he said.

The Second Vatican Council was “not only meaningful, but necessary,” retired Pope Benedict XVI said in a letter to a conference about his theological work at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

A theological understanding of the world's different religions, the relationship between faith and reason and, especially, the nature and

mission of the Church in the modern world were challenges the Catholic Church needed to face, the retired pope wrote in the message read Oct. 20.

The Vatican-based Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Foundation sponsored the conference Oct. 20-21 on “Joseph Ratzinger's Vision of the Church and Its Relevance for Contemporary Challenges.”

In his letter to conference participants, the retired pope said he hoped their discussions and an understanding of his theological work before, during, and after Vatican II would “be helpful in the struggle for a right understanding of the Church and the world in our time.”

As a priest and theologian, Father Ratzinger attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council when he served as a theological adviser— a "peritus"—to the archbishop of Cologne, Germany. ■

person by person,” said Sister Mary Martha Naber, who served in the Sisters of Mercy with Sister Albertine and was speaking for the Sisters of Mercy.

Bishop Richard F. Stika remembers Sister Albertine as a “dynamo.”

“I can remember meeting Sister Albertine for the very first time. She oversaw part of the liturgy at my ordination as bishop and she had a whole list of things that she wanted to do, so we ‘negotiated.’ She had definite opinions and ideas. There were other times, such as when I was leading one of her pilgrimages

and she made it clear to me about departure times— ‘if you are not there we are going to leave,’ she would say. I think she really would have left without me. She was very good at keeping the pilgrimages organized,” Bishop Stika said.

“She represented her community very well, and she was very involved in the diocese, and she will be greatly missed. The Catholic student center at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville is named after her parents. Her family will always be greatly remembered,” the bishop added.

The large assembly room at St.

John XXIII University Parish, where Sunday Masses are celebrated, is called the Paulus Room in memory of Sister Albertine's mother and father, Albert and Ella, who were instrumental in starting a Catholic parish on the University of Tennessee campus.

A funeral Mass for Sister Albertine was held on Oct. 31 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. A private funeral was held at Mercy Convent in Nashville, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery. See the December issue of The East Tennessee Catholic for coverage of Sister Albertine’s funeral. ■

“Obviously, this was the issue that got me involved in politics, to pay attention to what people were saying and what was going on....,” he said. “One of the first votes you take is for House leadership.

There was a lady who was up for speaker pro-tem. She was the only candidate, and I knew her name very well because she was always the one who killed pro-life legislation. I was like, I can’t vote for her.

There were 98 people [voting] for her, and I passed, and she never forgot who I was. There was not a whole lot of support down there, but the troops were on their way.”

Mrs. Dunn spoke of “another national movement that hit Knoxville in 2007, 40 Days for Life.”

“Paul Simoneau and Lisa Morris led that project and gave many hours to organize all of us and keep us safe through the year,” she said.

“What an amazing effort and an amazing movement of the Spirit.”

Mr. Simoneau, vice chancellor for administration for the Diocese of Knoxville and director of the Office of Justice and Peace, showed the TRL audience photos of 40 Days prayer vigils at the former

Concord Street abortion facility in Knoxville, vigils held up to the time the clinic closed.

“We were here between 2007 and 2012, and on Aug. 15, 2012, Lisa happened to be here and watched the U-Haul pull up and begin emptying out the contents of the abortion clinic,” he said.

Mrs. Dunn concluded the evening’s talks.

“Tonight, if you’re new to this work, don’t worry, you haven’t missed out. There is still a lot to do,” she said. “No one is asking you to go to jail. At least, not yet.

No one is asking you to start an organization from the ground up.

But we are asking you to vote.

We are asking you to be a church liaison. We are asking you to host a pro-life presentation in your church, to get involved with our efforts, and we are asking you to support us financially. . . . You can’t sit back and do nothing.

Lives depend on our work. Lives depend on you.”

Father John Dowling, pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain and a longtime TRL supporter, gave the closing prayer at the banquet.

“Heavenly Father, it is in, with, and through your Son, Jesus Christ, that we live and move and have our very being. . . . It is through our God-given gifts, for which we are most thankful, that we recognize the call, the possibility to protect, defend, nurture, and pray for all human life,” he said.

“We humbly acknowledge our need for Your grace to sustain us in our efforts to open the eyes of those who do not see as Christ sees and do not love as Jesus loves, and to open our own hearts and hands, minds and mouths when we are called upon to defend, sustain, and promote life.”

To support Tennessee Right to Life’s Knoxville chapter or learn more, visit www.prolifeknox.org, call 865-689-1339, or e-mail trlknox@prolifeknox.com. ■

he gave his life for us.”

Pope Francis noted that there is always the temptation to start from one’s self and one’s agenda, rather than from God and His Gospel.

We “let ourselves be caught up in the winds of worldliness in order to chase the fashions of the moment or to turn back the time that Providence has granted us,” he said.

“Yet let us be careful: both the ‘progressivism’ that lines up behind the world and the traditionalism—or ‘indietrism’—that longs for a bygone world are not evidence of love, but of infidelity.”

“Let us rediscover the council in order to restore primacy to God, to what is essential: to a Church madly in love with its Lord and with all the men and women whom He loves; to a Church that is rich in Jesus and poor in assets; to a Church that is free and freeing. This was the path that the council pointed out to the

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE/PAUL HARING

Pope continued from page A16

Pope Benedict XVI

St. Mary’s Parish 2211 East Lakeview Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601

Join us for our Parish Mission

Enthronement of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Presented by

The Sacred Heart Apostolate of the Diocese of Knoxville November 13–15, 2022 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Day 1: Jesus is alive and needed in the world now more than ever Day 2: Healing of relationships and forgiveness will enable us to open our hearts and homes to Jesus Day 3: Building a Civilization of Love FREE—a love offering will be taken each night.

Light refreshments will be served.

For more details, call the parish office at (423) 282-6367

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

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NOVEMBER 6, 2022 n A21

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