Dec. 3, 2023, ET Catholic, B section

Chastity speaker visits diocese for family event

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hastity speaker Jason Evert led a family-based event Oct. 22 at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, where 300 youths and adults gathered for his presentations on purity, gender, and sexuality.

The presentations appropriately occurred on the feast day of St. Pope John Paul II, who is known for his teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Mr. Evert leads his ministry, Chastity Project, with his wife, Crystalina. Together, they present talks and create resources for teenagers, young adults, and parents in order to promote a culture of purity, chastity, and authentic love.

“Jesus, tonight we pray for the gift of purity so we can be free to love, and we entrust our time together to Our Lady,” Mr. Evert said in his opening prayer.

Purified

His first presentation, “Purified,” focused on topics such as dating, purity, and pornography.

Mr. Evert spoke about the pressure youth feel to get into a relationship at a young age, with the additional pressure of taking the relationship to a sexual level.

Throughout the evening, Mr. Evert shared statistics and findings from a comprehensive study on sex.

Recent research suggests that currently 20 percent of high school students are sexually active, and 30 percent have had sex, meaning the majority of high school students in America are virgins.

“People who get married as virgins have a divorce rate that’s about 70 percent lower than those who won’t wait for marriage,” Mr. Evert said.

Mr. Evert encouraged the youth to imagine their future spouse out in the world and think about the

kinds of activity they wouldn’t want them to engage in and set the same standards for themselves.

“Every guy here has these temptations to lust, but then there’s a deeper desire to sacrifice and love,” he said. “What I want you girls to realize is, the guys you’re sitting next to every day in your class, all of us have been lied to about what it means to be a man.

We’re supposed to learn about manhood from our dads. But girls, think about it: some of us haven’t even seen our dads since we were 3. Even if you have a great dad, you still get lied to about manhood everywhere else. … You get some of the girls, you’re the man. Everything’s about sex. Basic message is if you’re still a virgin, something’s wrong with you. And if you’re not a virgin, it’s too late for you. This is all you ever hear, and it gets old.”

Mr. Evert shared that God offers love, pointing to Ephesians 5 in the Bible.

“St. Paul says to men, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church, giving himself up for her,” Mr. Evert said, noting that Jesus entered into His passion and died for His bride, the Church, and men need to be ready to love a woman like that.

“I think porn is the best way to shoot your future marriage in the head,” Mr. Evert said. “It teaches girls are things to be used.”

Mr. Evert noted that the first time he saw porn was in the second grade.

“We’re not looking at some naked body; you’re looking at somebody’s daughter, who was probably abused as a little girl, but we just laugh it all off and call ourselves gentlemen,” he said. “Some of the girls in porn aren’t even alive. Porn stars have a huge mortality rate, death by drug overdose, murder, suicide. You could be lust-

By Gabrielle Nolan

GABRIELLE NOLAN

Jason Evert gives talks at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on purity, gender, and sexuality

‘He has called you to love’ Jason Evert gives a chastity talk at St. John Neumann Church on Oct. 22 to nearly 300 youth and adults. ing after a girl who’s in her grave right now. Some of the girls in porn aren’t even human beings. Maxim Magazine has paid computer companies more than $20,000 a pop to generate fake women.”

Mr. Evert discussed the danger of becoming addicted to porn and then getting married and trying to be faithful to one woman.

“You trash the porn now and forever, you are being faithful to your bride before you ever lay eyes

upon her,” he said.

Mr. Evert also addressed that porn is not just an issue for males but also for females.

“Lust is not a guy problem—it’s a human problem,” he shared. “A lot of girls start looking out of curiosity—what do I need to look like, what do I need to do, what do I need to wear, who do I need to be.

Women, you were never created to be porn. You’re created to be Chastity speaker continued on page B2

Father Whitman celebrates 40 years as a priest

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ather Dan Whitman left a career in advertising more than four decades ago to pursue a vocation to the priesthood, and countless East Tennessee Catholics have been blessed by his ministry ever since.

Father Whitman, now retired from active ministry and living in Knoxville, celebrated his 40th anniversary of priestly ordination on Nov. 11. To mark the occasion, he went to Mass at St. John XXIII Catholic Center on the University of Tennessee campus and to a dinner with friends afterward.

“I wanted to keep it kind of quiet and laid-back,” he said.

One of his former parishes did not let either the priestly milestone or his Nov. 3 birthday go by unnoticed.

“Notre Dame in Greeneville surprised me with a little get-together Nov. 10. That was my last assignment before I retired,” Father Whitman said. “There were quite a few people there. They had a huge meal and cards and Masses for me for my special intentions. That was really great.”

Father Whitman, except for a brief assignment at the start of his priesthood at St. Henry Parish in Nashville, has primarily served in the Knoxville and East Tennessee

area.

He twice served short assignments as associate pastor at Sacred Heart in Knoxville before and after it became the cathedral parish upon the Diocese of Knoxville’s founding in 1988. Between Sacred Heart assignments, he served three years as an associate pastor at St. Mary in Oak Ridge. Father Whitman later served 10 years at St. Therese in Clinton and St. Jude in Helenwood, 13 years at Holy Trinity in Jefferson City and Good Shepherd in Newport, and five years at Notre Dame.

He could not name a favorite parish but rather recalled the pastors he served under in his early days as an associate.

“I was very blessed to have great pastors when I was an associate pastor,” he said. “I had Father Bob Hofstetter at my first assignment at Sacred Heart Church. I was here at Sacred Heart Church for about a year and a half. Then I went to be associate pastor at St. Mary’s in Oak Ridge with Father Bill Gahagan. Then when we became a diocese in 1988, Bishop [Anthony J.] O’Connell wanted two priests full-time at the cathedral, so I came back to Knoxville to Sacred Heart Cathedral. I was there for a little over a year and a half.”

In those days, Father Mike

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

In four decades, the convert from North Carolina has served in several East Tennessee parishes

‘Every place I’ve been . . . has just been unique and different’ Father Dan Whitman sits in the Our Lady of the Mountains Chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville.

Sweeney was serving as pastor of five churches, including St. Therese and St. Jude, along with Blessed Sacrament in Harriman, St. Ann in Lancing, and the mission that later became St. Christopher Parish in Jamestown.

“Bishop O’Connell wanted to break up the mission churches, the five churches, so I got assigned to St. Therese Church in Clinton and St. Jude Church in Helenwood,” Father Whitman said. “Mike Sweeney

was doing five churches, and Bishop said that’s crazy, so I took on two and Father Mike kept the three.”

Father Whitman said each of his parishes has had its own qualities that make it stand out.

“Every place I’ve ever been as an associate pastor or pastor has just been unique and different, which I enjoy as a priest,” he said.

Bishop James D. Niedergeses Father Whitman continued on page B3

loved.”

He spoke about the pressure girls feel to have perfect bodies.

“But girls, think about it, the women in the world who have the most perfect bodies, do they have the most perfect relationships? No, they have the most dysfunctional ones. Think of the people you know who have the most perfect love, do they have perfect bodies? No, they’re like 80 years old and overweight and wrinkly. But they have love,” Mr. Evert said.

He spoke about the differences between girls and boys, how girls get seduced through their ears and boys get seduced through their eyes, contributing to why modesty is important.

“You deserve respect no matter what you choose to wear, but you have this God-given power to not only turn a guy’s head, but you have the power to change his heart,” Mr. Evert said to the girls in the audience. “You will never convince some boy of your dignity until you first convince yourself.”

Mr. Evert discouraged the youth from cohabitation and sex before marriage, sharing a research study that girls “always pay the biggest price.”

“She becomes more likely to have more breakups, STDs, outof-wedlock pregnancies, become a single mom, live under the poverty level, divorce, have an abortion, be depressed, on and on. The longer a girl waits for sex, the happier she’s going to be,” he shared.

“Love can wait to give, but lust can’t wait to get,” Mr. Evert continued. “If you’re sexually active right now, doing sexual stuff, take it out, you’ll see what’s real love. …

When it’s real love it will bring you closer to everyone who loves you: family, friends, God. When it’s not real love, you’ll walk away from all three.”

At the end of his presentation, Mr. Evert spoke about homosexual attractions and how they are not a person’s identity.

“If you experience homosexual attractions, your identity is that you’re a beloved son or daughter of God.” He noted how products, identities, and friendships are becoming sexualized, and attractions are being over-sexualized.

“Not every human attraction is a sexual attraction,” Mr. Evert explained.

He encouraged all the youth to go to confession, go to Mass regularly, and be devoted to Our Lady for protection under her Miraculous Medal and the rosary.

Gender and the Theology of Your Body

Mr. Evert’s second presentation, “Gender and the Theology of Your Body,” focused on topics such as gender dysphoria and gender theory.

He discussed how many socialmedia platforms now offer numerous options for listing one’s gender.

“When most Catholics hear this, they tend to have one of two reactions: either to dismiss it or to debate it,” Mr. Evert said. “Now if you’re on the receiving end of that and you may experience gender dysphoria or you identify as trans, you probably feel that the Church has no room for you to understand what you might be going through.

But if you’re like me, and you have friends in the trans community, if you’re like me and you actually have family members who identify as trans, you realize just debating and dismissing these individuals is not an adequate response. If you’re like me, you wrestle a little bit with this.”

“What am I supposed to say?” he continued. “Am I supposed to use their preferred pronouns or do we not do that? Because I heard that if we don’t affirm their gender identity, they’re more likely to commit suicide, and I wouldn’t want to be part of that. What are we supposed to do? Or maybe you experience gender dysphoria and you’re wondering what does God think about me? I think we need to start there. What does God think about you if you struggle with this?

The Bible says real clear, it’s out of the Old Testament, it says, ‘God, for you love all things that exist and you loathe none of the things that you’ve made, for you would not have made anything if you had hated it.’ And so God does love individuals who experience gender dysphoria. We got to get out of the gate with that. In fact, if you know them personally, you know they deserve love. They’ve been through a lot.”

Mr. Evert emphasized that these individuals deserve love and the truth.

“So how do we do this? How do we balance charity and clarity at the same time?” he asked. “I think step No. 1 is let’s distinguish gender theory, which is an ideology, from gender dysphoria, which is something that people are affected by. …

[Gender theory] began in the ’50s with this idea that gender is just a social construct, masculinity, femininity, those aren’t real things.”

“What about when you have a person who is very clearly biologically male, but they feel that their internal sense of identity is female?” he continued. “This discord that what they experience and feel is known as gender dysphoria. …

Think of the word euphoria; euphoria is bliss, being content. Dysphoria is the opposite of that, a deep sense of distress, a feeling of incongruence between your body and your identity.”

Mr. Evert shared that rigid gender stereotypes do not help the situation.

“I know I’m a man not because I feel so manly; I know I’m a man because I have the body of a man, and our bodies are not meaningless.

They are meaningful,” he said. “Listen to Pope Francis. He said these rigid gender stereotypes can hinder the development of an individual’s abilities to the point of leading him or her to think, for example, that it’s not really masculine to cultivate art or dance, that it’s not very feminine to exercise leadership. These are bogus gender stereotypes.”

“Gender stereotypes try to get a person to conform their personality to match their body. Gender theory does the opposite—it tries to get a person to conform their body to match their personality. Neither one is the right approach,” he explained.

Mr. Evert shared a study that said when children experience gender dysphoria, about 90 percent come to identify with their own biological sex by the time they finish puberty, as long as gender-affirmative care does not intervene.

GABRIELLE NOLAN (4)

Chastity speaker continued from page B1

Head over heels Chastity speaker Jason Evert does a demonstration with a teenager named Miles at St. John Neumann Church.

He gave an example of genderaffirmative care as gender-themed books being read to young students in schools across America.

“This is not promoting tolerance.

This is actually promoting transgenderism,” Mr. Evert said. “Well, what’s the distinction? Transgenderism is this idea that my body cannot just be distinguished from my identity but can be divorced completely from my identity. And if you don’t feel at home in your body, your feelings aren’t a problem, your body is the problem. To be true to yourself, you don’t look at what your body is, you look at what your feelings tell you. And if you want to feel at home, then you need to transition because that’s your identity, is trans.”

Mr. Evert discussed the four steps of transitioning, which include social transitioning, using puberty blockers, using cross-sex hormones, and having surgeries.

“If you follow the individuals who do have the surgeries, about 10 years after the operation, the suicide rate climbs to 19 times higher than the general population,” he shared.

“People will say, well, that’s because of all you transphobic bigots and because you don’t accept them, of course they’re going to kill themselves. This is not the full story. The full story is this: people who commit suicide, 90 percent of them have a diagnosable mental-health condition that needs clinical intervention.

Anxiety, depression, in the case of the trans community, studies have shown that 42 percent of them actu-

ally meet the criteria for autism diagnosis. There’s a lot of other stuff going on here.”

Mr. Evert shared that the world puts people in two categories: those who accept the trans community and those who abandon them.

“So, who are you going to be? A compassionate person or a bigot?…

Are these really our menu options, accept or abandon? Pope Francis says no, we’re called to accompaniment, which means walking with these people in truth and love. They deserve respect, and they deserve love, but they also deserve the truth. Because if you give someone love, but you don’t give someone the truth, it’s false compassion,” he said.

“This is not about permission, this is about possibility,” Mr. Evert continued. “Biology is not bigotry, this is why medicine is so sex-specific. … We’re susceptible to disease differently, we exhibit disease differently, we respond to prescription medicine differently. … Every cell of the human body that has a nucleus is sexed; that’s why we can’t change our sex: we’d have to change every cell.”

He asked the crowd two questions: Is the body trustworthy? Does it really reveal our identity?

“The Church offers us the answer in something called the Theology of the Body. It was something given to us by St. John Paul II… John Paul II, yes, he was a celibate man, but this man’s gift that he was to the Church was extraordinary,” he said. “One of Chastity speaker continued on page B3

Raising pure teens The first half of the church was reserved for youth at St. John Neumann. At left, Margaret Merrill of Regnum Christi served as master of ceremonies for the Jason Evert Chastity Project event.

Books for sale Regnum Christi members Paola Toledo (left) and Lauren Hanson volunteered at the merchandise table where Chastity Project books were sold.

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

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC FILE PHOTO

Seasoned citizens Father Whitman greets those attending a birthday celebration at Holy Trinity Church for those 90 and older.

Serving the youth Father Whitman takes part in a youth-ministry certification workshop at Sacred Heart Church in Knoxville in the 1980s.

Chastity speaker continued from page B2

the things he taught us in his Theology of the Body is that the human body is the only creation of God that makes a person visible. Because think about it, animals have a body, but they’re not a personal being.

Angels are personal beings, but they don’t have a body, and so the human body is the only creation of God that makes the mystery of a person visible.”

“If our culture untethers our identity from our bodies, what is your identity going to attach to if not your body?” he continued. “It will attach to your personality. But here’s the challenge: there are as many personalities as there are persons. You’ll end up in literally an endless spectrum of identities of genders, which to me is the endgame of this whole thing. Not to have many genders, TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

the endgame is for sexual difference to be erased. The devil is not only the enemy of your soul, the devil is the enemy of human nature. What God has joined, the devil wants to rupture. If God joins body and soul, the devil wants to separate, death.

God joins husband and wife, separate, divorce.

“If God has joined your body to who you are as a person, and the devil can separate that, you know what comes next, male means nothing. Man means nothing.

Therefore, husband means nothing; father means nothing. Family, priests, nothing. Everything is now thrown up for grabs. And so this is why John Paul II said that you have been given right now a task to rediscover the meaning of your body. It is not meaningless; it is meaningful. Stamped into your

Alongside St. Nick Father Dan Whitman stands with “St. Nicholas” (Jim Hill) during a feast of St. Nicholas celebration at Notre Dame Church in Greeneville.

It was a holiday or whatever. ‘There are things around the school that need to be done. Can you help me?’

It ended up being all afternoon,” Father Whitman said.

While at Christ the King, he met a young woman, Cindy, and the two considered marriage at one point.

Father Whitman kept up with Cindy in later years until she passed away after suffering from multiple sclerosis and cancer.

“She was an amazing woman. She taught me a lot about faith and trust, and she never complained about all the things that happened to her,” Father Whitman said. “Her family was amazing. I fell in love with her family before I ever got to know her. She was going to school in Ohio when I met her mom and dad and siblings.”

A Cursillo weekend influenced the course of Father Whitman’s life from marriage to the priesthood.

“I was in Cursillo in Nashville, and that really changed my life even more,” he said.

Father Whitman left the Genesco company and enrolled at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana, where he received a bachelor of arts degree in English, and Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., where he received a master of divinity degree.

He was ordained a deacon by Bishop Niedergeses in March 1983 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. Bishop Niedergeses presided at his ordination to the priesthood later that year on Nov. 11 at Christ the King Church.

Ordination day, a Friday, was “really exciting,” Father Whitman said.

“I had family from all over North Carolina and friends from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Michigan. They all came down for my ordination and for my first body is not just your identity; it’s your calling.”

Mr. Evert concluded his presentation with words for those who may be experiencing gender dysphoria.

“What would God say to that person? I think what he would say is this: my beloved child, you were not born into the wrong body; you were born into the wrong culture, a culture that’s telling you you might have to hurt your body to be your authentic self. Your body does not need to be reconstructed. It’s our culture that needs to be reconstructed. And I created you for such a time as this to participate with me in the reconstruction of our broken culture,” he said.

Mr. Evert told the audience that God loves them.

“He has called you to love. And with all these questions we have

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Mass of thanksgiving at Christ the King. I chose Nov. 11 because it was Veteran’s Day, and most people had the day off, so they could travel on Thursday for the ordination on Friday morning at Christ the King.

I just remember the church was almost filled,” he said.

His vocation was “rooted” at Christ the King, he said.

“People said, ‘Dan, you ever thought about being a priest?’ ‘No, I want to get married and have kids,’” he remembered.

Father Whitman’s hobbies formerly included hiking, but Parkinson’s disease—diagnosed while he was serving at Notre Dame—has forced him to curtail that activity.

“I was an avid hiker,” he said. “I had all these plans, things I wanted to do [in retirement], and with Parkinson’s, it kind of limits my ability to do things now.”

God “indeed” had other plans for him when he thought he was headed for a life in advertising, Father Whitman said.

“It’s been an awesome 40 years.” ■

THE EAST TENNESSEE CATHOLIC FILE PHOTO

Winston-Salem, N.C., and grew up in the Methodist Church. He attended elementary school in Pfafftown, N.C., and junior high and high school in Clemmons. After one year at Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, N.C., he switched to the Harris School of Advertising, Art, and Design in Franklin, Tenn., where he attended for three years.

After advertising school, he worked for three years for the Genesco firm in Nashville from 1973 to 1976.

After not attending church much in his late teen and early adult years, he was drawn to Christ the King Parish in Nashville.

“I was searching for a home church, and it ended up being a Catholic church that I joined,” he said. “On June 3, 1973, I got baptized, confirmed, and received my first Communion at Christ the King Catholic Church on Belmont Boulevard in Nashville. Being 21 years old, I helped out in different ministries. I got very involved with the Church at Christ the King. I became a Knights of Columbus member.

I volunteered helping around the parish and helping at Christ the King School. All that was leading up to my vocation.

“Becoming Catholic really changed my life, what I believed, and how I live.”

Sister Emmanuel White, RSM, served as principal at Christ the King School and recruited the future priest to assist her.

“I’d usually go to the 7 o’clock Mass and then go to work. But I went to an 8 o’clock Mass, and that’s when the kids went to Mass, and she said, ‘Dan, what are you doing after Mass?’ ‘Well, it’s my day off.’

COURTESY OF FATHER DAN WHITMAN

of the Diocese of Nashville, who ordained Father Whitman, added another duty for him in his Oak Ridge days: director of youth ministry for the Knoxville Deanery. That role grew to diocesan director when the Church in East Tennessee was founded.

“When I was going to St. Mary’s in Oak Ridge, Bishop Niedergeses said, ‘And also, Dan, I’d like you to be the deanery coordinator for our youth ministry for the Knoxville Deanery.’ And when we became a diocese, Bishop O’Connell said we need to have our own youth ministry, so he appointed me diocesan director,” Father Whitman recalled.

Father Whitman served for many years as moderator of the charismatic movement for the Diocese of Knoxville. The movement has influenced his ministry in an “awesome” way, he said.

“A couple got me involved when I was at St. Therese in Clinton. They said, ‘Father Dan, we need somebody for charismatic ministry.’ ‘Well, I’ve never done it before.’ ‘Well, we need somebody. Can you do it?’ ‘Sure, OK,’” he said. “It’s really strengthened my faith even more. I have a deeper faith in the Lord and deeper trust in God and Jesus Christ.

And I like the praise music and the music during the Mass.”

Father Whitman is the longtime chaplain for the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and for the Smoky Mountain Deanery CCW. “The Church would be lost if we didn’t have the women of the CCW,” he said. “They’re the foundation of each parish I’ve ever been in.”

Father Whitman is a native of

COURTESY OF FATHER DAN WHITMAN

Father Whitman continued from page B1

Father Dan Whitman in 1992 faced tonight, with the body, our temptations, the body when it comes to dysphoria—the answer to all these questions is in only one place, the Blessed Sacrament, where He shows us the answer: this is My body given up for you.”

After the presentations, the youths in attendance received bags with an Immaculate medal, a purity commitment card, a list of faithful Catholic colleges, a copy of Mr. Evert’s book, Pure Love, and an additional book targeted for boys or girls. The boys received Pure Manhood by Mr. Evert, while the girls received Pure Womanhood by Mrs. Evert.

Additionally, parents received a copy of Raising Pure Teens by Mr. Evert and Chris Stefanick.

For more information on Jason Evert and his ministry, visit chastity. com. ■ DECEMBER 3, 2023 n B3

Parish notes Chattanooga Deanery

Cumberland Mountain Deanery

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy

The Knights are sponsoring a coat drive with donations collected in the back of the church.

The St. Bridget Youth Group recently accepted $5 donations for luminaries in remembrance of deceased loved ones.

They processed to the altar, carrying the luminaries as names were read during the All Souls Day Mass on Nov. 2. More than 250 luminaries were sold, which will fund future Youth Group functions.

St. Jude, Chattanooga

A first Friday healing Mass with anointing of the sick took place Dec. 2.

The Knights of Columbus and the ladies guild co-sponsored a spaghetti dinner following the vigil Mass on Nov. 18.

The parish is forming a Seven Sisters Apostolate group to pray for Father Sweeney. The commitment would be to pray for an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament for one day a week. Call Sarah Garcia at 865-2009716 for more information or visit sevensistersapostolate.org.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade The Book of Remembrance was carried to the altar at weekend Masses in November as parishioners prayed for deceased loved ones.

A rosary was prayed for prisoners at 8:30 a.m. after the Communion services on Nov. 6.

A women’s Bible study on the Book of Daniel led by Kathy Fitch met on first Mondays in November.

A parishioner has developed a set of six Catholic greeting cards as a fundraiser for the parish’s Journey Together Again capital campaign. The box includes hard-to-find cards for first Holy Communion, confirmation, baptism, anniversary of ordination, and birthdays for priests and deacons.

Card sets are $13.99 and are available at the Stepping Stones Gift Shop at St. Jude. All proceeds go to the parish.

On Nov. 7, Father Michael Woods and the pastoral-care program led a healing Mass. Everyone received a special anointing for spiritual, physical, and emotional healing.

St. Jude is participating in Family Promise during the week of Christmas from Sunday, Dec. 24, to Saturday, Dec. 30. St. Jude needs meals each night to feed the families who are staying at Family Promise homes while they look for permanent housing.

Volunteers are needed to provide and drop off dinner meals at the Family Promise house at 2602 14th Ave. in Chattanooga. Those with questions should contact Teresa Le at 423-5041132 or teresa.le423@gmail.com.

The 10th group of 33 Days of Morning Glory has started. Call co-chairs Cherie Trapp at 931-287-8296 and Kathy Donley at 707-321-9563 to learn more.

The annual Alternative Gift Project began Nov. 25 and continues through Jan. 28 to benefit St. Jude’s twin parish in Gros-Morne, Haiti. Gifts may include books for schoolchildren, tools and seeds, pay for a Haitian teacher, religious-instruction books, and fuel to run generators. See the gift form in the Dec. 3 parish bulletin available at discovermass.com/church/ st-jude-chattanooga-tn/#bulletins.

The parish recently had a Star Tree in the vestibule, from which envelopes could be taken for donations that will be used to purchase gift cards for families in need.

St. Mary, Athens Parish youth held first Wednesday adoration and a celebration of the memorial of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6.

Greetings by St. Nicholas followed with treats for all.

A Doughnut Sunday was celebrated Dec. 3 in the family life center along with the parish’s Advent party, which featured wreath-making.

The Knights of Columbus thanked parishioners for supporting their spaghetti dinner and bingo night Nov. 11.

More than 90 dinners were served.

Anniversaries: Ernie and Marilyn Ball (59), Noah and Roberta Faggard (53)

A video, “On the Way to Emmaus,” was shown Nov. 10 with a discussion following. The video highlighted Jesus’ eucharistic teaching in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24.

The Social Action Ministry prepared 400 Thanksgiving food boxes to feed families in Cumberland County. Parishioners contributed funds and decorations and helped pack or deliver the boxes. On Nov. 12, they put together packages of dry ingredients to make turkey soup. One day later, they assembled and packed food boxes in the parish hall. On Nov. 14, they delivered the food boxes to the food pantries.

On the 15th, they distributed food directly to families at Peavine Care Center. Many volunteers helped.

St. Mary-Athens hosts Legion of Mary retreat The Legion of Mary of East Tennessee held its annual retreat at St. Mary Church in Athens on Oct. 14. The theme of this year’s retreat was “Journey to Faith.”

Members had an opportunity to share their journey to the Catholic faith. The group viewed a special video from The Handmaids of the Precious Blood in which Sister Christiana O’Connell spoke about the Blessed Mother and Catholics’ relationship with her.

The Fairfield Glade Council of Churches had Thanksgiving services at the United Methodist Church in Fairfield Glade on Nov. 21 this year.

Both the annual Christmas Giving Tree and the traditional Ethel Wagner’s Christmas Tree, named for a former parishioner, are ready. The Giving Tree provides gifts for Cumberland County schoolchildren’s wish list. The Ethel Wagner tree provides personal items and supplies for needy children in elementary schools.

Anniversaries: Edwin and Grace Johnson (70), Philip and Roslie Poynter (59), Robert and Carol Loghry (56), Louis and Patricia Poulin (55), Roger and Donna Dudley (54), Michael and Victoria English (52), Dennis and Nancy Ashman (51), Robert and Barbara Dever (51), Gary and Linda Nyquist (51), Terry and Delores Owens (45), Gary and Judith Willert (45), Paul and Rosemary Cowan (25) St. John Neumann, Farragut

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St. Jude Knights donate to Pregnancy Help Center The Philip Paul Breen Council of the Knights of Columbus at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga recently donated $500 to the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee Pregnancy Help Center.

As part of the Knights of Columbus Aid and Support After Pregnancy (ASAP) program, the Knights Supreme Council will donate another $100 to the center. Pictured is Grand Knight Naino Leo presenting a check to Pregnancy Help Center program leader Sheri Fava.

The Council of Catholic Women’s speaker on Nov. 8 was Alice Lay of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. She spoke on the Legion of Mary and on corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga Anniversaries: Gary and Lea Calkins (61), Terry and Kitty Roberts (54)

Five baptized at St. Christopher in Jamestown Five children were baptized at St. Christopher Church in Jamestown on Nov. 4.

The parish has grown significantly this past year. Several couples, some with children, have moved in and have found a welcome home there. Pictured from left are Katherine Manning, godmother; Bethany holding Emersyn looking at dad Joseph Manning; pastor Father Michael Sweeney with Breanna Bigard, Sharon Brayton, godmother, Aubrey Bigard looking at her sister, and Allen Bigard, grandfather/ godparent; Sheila Allen with Landon; and Nick Allen with Theo. Soon there will be more baptisms, a round of first Holy Communions, and possibly more confirmations to add to the 11 confirmations celebrated since last December.

COURTESY OF ELISSA EDWARDS

The St. Bridget Women’s Council raised more than $3,000 during its Christmas Bazaar held Nov. 18 and 19. Ticket sales continued for a quilt giveaway Dec. 9. The proceeds from the bazaar and quilt giveaway are the SBWC’s main fundraiser for the year.

At an “Evening with Father” on Dec. 13, pastor Father Michael Sweeney fielded questions about the Catholic faith.

The St. Luke Ministry held an orientation Dec. 11 as it sought volunteers to Parish notes continued on page B8

COURTESY OF JANET SPRAKER

The parish Advent party hosted by the Knights of Columbus and the Women’s Council took place Dec. 9, following the 5:30 p.m. vigil Mass. Music was provided by DJ Jose Luis Lopez, with a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The parish’s annual Christmas Potluck Gala, featuring food, giveaways, Christmas crafts, and Santa Claus, will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, in the church hall.

COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER

St. Bridget, Dayton

COURTESY OF FATHER MICHAEL SWEENEY

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman Pastor Monsignor Al Humbrecht’s next book study will be on Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parish hall at the church Saturday, Jan. 27. Call the office at 423-332-5300 to register. A covered-dish meal will be shared at 1:15 p.m.

St. Bridget Women’s Council hosts Christmas bazaar The Women’s Council at St. Bridget Parish in Dayton raised more than $3,000 during its Christmas bazaar held Nov. 18 and 19. The council uses the proceeds to fund the annual Service Award given to a high school senior. Pictured is Sherrie Cobb, bazaar chair.

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

Calendar

An “Underground Christmas” event for fifth- through eighth-graders will be held from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at St. Jude Church in Chattanooga. Youth are invited to a night of deciphering clues to “safe houses,” where they will be given a short preview of different eras of persecution and what Christians have had to face throughout the ages to be able to worship God. The event includes trying to evade the “secret police” who are attempting to capture the Christians and throw them into jail for their faith, as well as various other activities that all relate back to the true problems around the world. The night will end with Mass in a very “underground” fashion. Cost is $30. Download a flyer at dioknox.org/events/ underground-christmas-2023.

Instead of having a March for Life in January, the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life will celebrate the sanctity of life during the entire month of January. A special presentation for churches will be available to share on Sanctity of Life Sunday, Jan. 21. Contact the Knox County TRL chapter at 865-689-1339 or trlknox@ prolifeknox.com for more details.

Search for Christian Maturity retreat 170 will be held from 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. Search is a weekend retreat experience sponsored by the Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry in collaboration with Knoxville Catholic High School. The weekends are for any high school juniors and seniors. The program is both rooted in the Catholic faith and open to young people of any denomination or creed. Search provides an opportunity to think, talk, question, and wonder about life and faith in an accepting and challenging environment. It is an opportunity to experience God and God’s family in a personal and real way. The weekend is youth- and peer-oriented; it is run by youth, to youth, and for youth, and all under the guidance of a team of adult mentors. Cost for the weekend is $95, which is all-inclusive.

For permission/medical forms, a code of conduct and release, and a team application, or to sponsor a retreatant, visit dioknox.org/events/search-170.

Search 171 is set for Feb. 23-25 at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, and Search 172 will be held March 1-3 at St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

The 13th annual Knoxville Catholic High School Green & Gold Gala will be held Friday, Jan. 26, in the University of Tennessee Student Union ballroom. “Irish Legends” John and Sondra Faris will be honored at the event.

RSVP at knoxvillecatholic.com/gala/.

Applications for the 2024-25 year at St. John Neumann School in Farragut for students in pre-kindergarten-3 through eighth grade are now being accepted through Feb. 1. To apply, visit sjncs-knox.org/admissions/ apply. For more information, contact Mary Marlowe at 865-777-3042 or admissions@sjncs-knox.org.

A Vocations Day for young women ages 14 to 29 is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Participants are invited TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

COURTESY OF KATHLEEN ETHERTON PRESTON (3)

to meet representatives from several religious communities and learn more about religious life. The day will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. Breakfast will follow Mass. Beginning at 10:15, information booths and representatives will be in the parish hall to answer questions about religious life and specific communities.

Adoration will be available throughout the day. Lunch is provided. For more information, call 865-584-3307 or e-mail Christine.h.blair@gmail.com.

The sixth annual Knights Cup Lacrosse Tournament will be held Feb. 9-10 at Knoxville Catholic High School.

Proceeds benefit Knights of Columbus charities in Knoxville and East Tennessee. The schedule features five college games. William Penn University of Iowa will take on Tennessee Wesleyan at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, followed by Missouri Baptist University vs. Keiser University of Florida at 7:30. A youth and middle school preseason jamboree will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 10. Also that day, Missouri Baptist will face Tennessee Wesleyan at noon, William Penn will play Keiser at 2:15 p.m., and the University of Alabama at Huntsville will take on Lincoln Memorial University at 4:30. Tickets are $10 for adults at the gate, $8 in advance, and $7 each for a group of 10; $6 for students at the gate, $4 in advance, and $3 each for a group of 10; and $25 for families at the gate and $20 in advance. To purchase tickets, sponsor the tournament, or learn more, visit knightscup.org.

A Picture of Love retreat for engaged couples is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. This marriagepreparation program is a supplement to a couple’s marriage formation with their parish priest or deacon. Picture of Love explores the joys and challenges of living out the sacrament of matrimony with special focus on the importance of inviting Jesus to be the center of marriage and family life. The program will help each couple gain insights into their relationship as well as give them practical ideas and tools to help smooth their journey and become the “Picture of Love” to one another. Meeting times are 6:45 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $175 per couple. Payment is due two weeks before the weekend. For a registration form, visit dioknox.org/events/pictureof-love-feb-2024. Also at the website are three exercises: a personality test, a “love language profile for couples,” and a fillable budget worksheet. Couples are asked to complete the exercises in advance and bring them to the retreat— see the website for more details.

Regnum Christi-Knoxville is hosting a Lenten Evening of Reflection for women Thursday, Feb. 29, at All Saints Church in Knoxville featuring guest speaker Lindy Wynne of the “Mamas in Spirit” podcast. The evening will begin with a soup supper at 6 p.m., followed by praise and worship music at 6:30, Ms. Wynne’s talk at 7, and adoration from 7:45 until closing.

For more information, e-mail Regnum Christi.Knoxville@gmail.com.

New St. Jude handicap ramp dedicated in memory of parishioners’ son When Timothy Jeansonne went to work for NASA, the Americans with Disabilities Act compliance standards were just being released. NASA tasked him with helping to make a 30-building campus handicap accessible. Not knowing what to expect, he was surprised at the level of need and amount of work that was required. This work became important to him. Mr. Jeansonne passed away unexpectedly last June. His parents, Jerry and Sandy Jeansonne, longtime parishioners of St. Jude in Chattanooga, came up with the perfect way to remember their son. On Nov. 20, a handicap ramp accessible to the church and all school and parish buildings, was dedicated in his name. St. Jude pastor Father Charlie Burton and associate pastor Father Alex Waraksa participated in the blessing of the ramp. St. Jude School fifth-grade student Kailey Shepherd cut the ribbon to dedicate it. Kailey broke her leg right before the start of school and spent the first three months in a wheelchair and crutches, trying to navigate her movements. She thanked Mr. and Mrs. Jeansonne for their donation.

The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m.

Sunday Mass. Call Toni Jacobs at 561315-5911 if you have any questions.

A 14-day pilgrimage to Catholic England, led by Father Joe Reed and Father Michael Maples, is set for April 17-30.

Sites to be visited include Ampleforth Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey, Durham Cathedral, Whitby Abbey, English Martyrs Church, the Shrine of St. Margaret, York Minster, York Oratory, Coventry Cathedral, Oxford, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral, London, the Stonor Park country house, London Oratory, Tyburn Tree, Tyburn Convent, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Hall within the Houses of Parliament, Canterbury Cathedral, the Friars-Aylesford Priory, Shrine of the Assumption and Calendar continued on page B8 w ww.di o k no x .o rg

COURTESY OF DONNA DUNN (2)

The fourth annual Cathedral Christmas Festival will take place at 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 15, with the Scruffy City Orchestra performing, and at 6 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 17, with the Tennessee Wind Symphony in concert, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Scruffy City Orchestra will be under the direction of Dr. Ace Edewards and the Tennessee Wind Symphony under the direction of Dr. John Culvahouse, combined with cantors of the cathedral, the Cathedral Youth Choir, and musicians of the Diocese of Knoxville performing instrumental and choral music. There will be an all-sing of Christmas carols. Admission is free, but seating is limited. Doors open one hour before each concert. Tickets are available online via the Eventbrite link at shcathedral.org/cathedral-concertseries. The event will be livestreamed and recorded with archived access available at m.youtube.com/c/ SacredHeartCathedralKnoxvilleTN.

CCW makes Bags of Blessings The Council of Catholic Women at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City recently made up 116 Bags of Blessings to assist Pat Ryan of the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Bags will be handed out to the homeless. Mrs. Ryan partners with Melanie Lucas, who visits homeless camps to distribute the bags and sleeping mats.

Mrs. Ryan has taught CCW members how to make sleeping mats from recycled plastic grocery bags. As of Nov. 3, 2,142 bags and 74 sleeping mats have been made by parishioners. The bags include items such as a water bottle, a fruit cup, a dessert cup, crackers, granola bars, gum, and much more.

DECEMBER 3, 2023 n B5

Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

New grandbaby is off to a pretty good start She hasn’t been born yet but already has family love, saintly love, and God’s love

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ike many young marrieds in this country, our youngest, Sarah, and her husband, Keith, were living in an apartment but longing for a house.

I don’t think I’m revealing any deep financial secrets when I tell you in today’s market there was no feasible path they could travel that would ever allow them to afford monthly rent while simultaneously saving anywhere near enough to buy a house.

So, Nancy and I invited them to come home. Come live with us.

Come shed some debt. Come save some money. Come bring your dog and help us with ours now and again.

We had a huge upstairs that was mostly unused—large enough for the two of them to have a bedroom, a TV room, a work-at-home office, a guest bed for Keith’s daughter when she visits.

And we never realized it but as it turns out—there was also room for a nursery.

Because we’re having a baby!

Harper Ann Garrett is almost here, and the little girl’s got pink stuff everywhere. I mean everywhere. She’s not even here, yet I can already imagine it’s not totally unlike how her teenage room will someday look. Clothes and towels and trinkets in every corner.

My life has primarily been spent among females.

I grew up with three sisters and my mom, and when my dad passed away, we moved in with my mother’s aunt.

Later, when Nancy and I married, we had three girls. And now our three girls will all have a girl of their own.

As I often tell others, for a long time, the only male thing in my life was my dog … and we neutered him.

Along the way, though, we’ve added three sons-in-law and two grandsons, so the odds are slowly sliding my way. Slowly.

All that to say, I know a thing or two about hormones on that side of the gender divide. Not so much the science of them, maybe more about what it’s like to live with them.

According to a quick Google

Later, when Nancy and I married, we had three girls. And now our three girls will have a girl of their own. As I often tell others, for a long time, the only male thing in my life was my dog ... and we neutered him. search, “While we know that estrogen is connected with serotonin, the connection between these two isn’t always linear, and fluctuations and variations in both estrogen and serotonin levels can lead to mood changes, anxiety, and irritability.”

“Isn’t always linear” is an understatement. I’m not one to lump anyone into anyone else’s category.

Let me just say, that “fluctuations in mood changes” part seems to match my experiences with the fairer sex.

Please don’t misinterpret me; we guys are guilty, too. Every bit as much. To be fair, I also Googled testosterone and its impacts. It doesn’t actually state it causes males to say stupid things, but the guys I know have all been guilty.

Dec. 15 is the official due date Sarah’s been given. But as I sit and write, I’m thinking that’s a pipe dream.

Sarah’s blood pressure has been higher than anyone would hope. So, they’re on the watch for preeclampsia (whatever that is) and discussing a possible C-section.

To make things more interesting, Harper currently seems as if she’ll be entering the world feet first. And though I’ve no personal experience with the process, the all-female consensus seems to be that sort of arrival is not on anyone’s list of “most desired delivery positions.”

When Nancy gave birth to ours, both older girls came two weeks late. When it was finally Sarah’s turn to arrive, the doctor was fearful she might “fall out,” which was a medical term I had not heard but could fully understand. So, Nancy was induced on the very date she was due.

With the benefit of hindsight, Sarah’s now convinced she wasn’t fully cooked and—like her two sisters—needed those extra two weeks to get it all together. I’m not saying

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

she’s wrong.

One way or the other, though, before tinsel decorates your tree, we’ll have another little one upstairs.

But only one. Today’s technology can assure us of that. There are 2-D and 3-D and 4-D imaging. Nobody hiding in there this time.

Not true for my sister-in-law, though, who in the early ’70s went in to deliver one baby but came out with two. Surprise!

If that happens this time, “deathby-shock” will be a part of somebody’s obituary.

Sarah’s been visiting her OB-GYN with the appointed regularity. Her family’s all been keeping up with the calendar as well because every new visit yields a new food.

Early on, Harper was the size of a sweet pea. At nine weeks, she was a green olive. A large strawberry at 11.

Our granddaughters, Emma (age 10) and Finley (age 9), can’t wait and have been tracking the garden with great interest.

An onion became a pear; a pineapple morphed into an eggplant. A cauliflower, a coconut, a jack fruit, and a swiss chard have all been on the menu of baby shapes and sizes.

And I don’t even know what some of those are.

If there’s irony here, it’s that Sarah has never eaten even one of those things … ever! The last time she ate a fruit, other than a strawberry Pop Tart, was when we fed her some Gerber’s.

And that may explain some things, too.

Both older than the normal new parents, Sarah and Keith have been wanting to move this baby thing along since the day they married.

But nothing’s been as simple as they had hoped.

The long-awaited celebration took on a different hue shortly thereafter. Because to her huge dismay, Sarah’s had a miserable pregnancy. She’s had her share of food cravings, but not much stays down.

You’re no doubt familiar with “morning sickness”; hers has been more the morning-noon-night and right-after-I-eat variety. And she’s eight months in.

And to add an exclamation point to her fluctuating levels of estrogen and serotonin, her dog died last week.

Rescued at the pound, Sophie may well have rescued Sarah. She got Sophie when she needed Sophie. Sarah had been led to believe she was a puppy. But the vet and a checkup suggested she was at least four.

Already cheated out of a few fleeting dog years, Sophie was Sarah’s companion when she lived alone.

She was there when she felt alone.

And she was there to watch her— and probably helped her—battle a demon or two.

Keith adopted her like any good dad would, but in the midst of this pregnancy, canine cancer came calling.

We all knew what was next. Sarah did, too. And we all prayed that Sophie would somehow survive long enough to lick Harper’s cheek at least a time or two.

But not in this lifetime.

So, we’ve been both blessed and grieved to watch the full circle of life unfold right upstairs.

Friends and family were kind enough to throw a big shower. But talk about hormones.

The first gift Sarah opened was from my mom, her deceased grandmother, a baby blanket Grandma had made before she died in hopes that Sarah might one day have need.

Harper won’t know her greatgrandmother, yet she’ll feel her love most every night.

And isn’t that exactly what every child needs? Love. And lots of it.

Other than some mirky 4-D photos, I haven’t seen her yet. But that’s the one thing I know she’ll be blessed with plenty of: no matter which way she comes out, no matter what she chooses to eat, no matter how well she cleans her room.

Family love, saintly love, God’s love. She’s off to a pretty good start!

Dear God—Thank you for the gift of life. May we treat every one of your kids like we treat our own. Amen. ■ George Valadie is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga and author of the newly released “We Lost Our Fifth Fork … and other moments when we need some perspective.”

by Deacon Bob Hunt

We should both worship Jesus and serve Him Christians should not treat Him as two different people, one human and one divine

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here are two great temptations that face Christians that I would like to speak to. The first, and it is almost an expectation of the culture, is to relegate one’s faith to the practice of personal, private devotion. It is all very good to believe in your heart in Jesus as Lord and savior. But to take that faith and actually try to influence or have any impact on society, or even your small corner of the world, is too much. It’s rude, distasteful, and intolerant of others. Furthermore, why should one? Jesus is my personal Lord and savior. It’s me and Jesus. I don’t bother reading the news or getting too involved in what’s going on in the world around me, because I know that Jesus will return (hopefully today!) and make it all right. And, if He doesn’t return before I die, then I’ll stand before Him as an individual to be judged according to my deeds and cleansed of my sins. This world is not my home. I am in the world but not of it. My focus is on the world to come.

The second temptation is to transform the faith into a social-justice project. Jesus demands that we be

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good stewards of the earth, of our resources, and that we care for those on the margins, those who have dropped through society’s cracks for whatever reason. To care for those in need is what Jesus wants.

He gives little regard to how much time I spend in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. How is that going to change the world? At the Last Judgment, Jesus will judge us on whether we fed Him, clothed Him, cared for Him in sickness, or visited Him in prison. He will not ask how many rosaries we prayed or eucharistic processions we participated in.

The political order is inherently unjust, racist, and oppressive. It must be changed, and in the name of God it is our duty to do so (some would add, “by any means necessary!”).

This world is my home. I am both in the world and of it. My focus is on this world.

Obviously, both temptations are masterpieces of demonic connivance. They demand that we choose between worshiping Jesus or serving Jesus and paint the two as mutually exclusive. Obviously, we are to worship Jesus in personal prayer, in liturgy, in any number of the pleth-

ora of devotions with which the Church has gifted believers through the ages. Especially, I think, in the prayerful reading of Scripture. Obviously, we are to serve Jesus in our care of the earth and its resources, and in service to the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and especially in living faithfully the commitments we have made in His Name, in marriage and family life, in religious life, or in holy orders.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14a). It is the faith of the Church that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He is fully human and fully divine. He was not a god who was pretending to be human, but God who became human. He was not a man who achieved divinity, but a man who was God incarnate from the moment of His conception in His mother’s womb. He is Emmanuel—“God with us,” like us in all things, except sin.

I think we are tempted to distinguish too much between the humanity and divinity of Jesus, often treating Jesus as two different people, one human and one divine.

And the one we like better is the

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one who influences our Christian living. This is preposterous. When Jesus was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary, He was conceived and born fully human and fully divine.

He represented the whole of human experience, the whole of human reality. We are humans called to share in the divine nature. Jesus was the divine nature made human. As He became like us in all things except sin, so we are to become like Him in all things, cleansed of sin. So, we worship Jesus as our divine Savior, and we serve Him in the service of our brothers and sisters, because He was one of us.

Worship Jesus and serve Jesus.

Serve Jesus and worship Jesus. Because if you’re trying to worship Jesus, but you aren’t serving Jesus, it may, in fact, be someone else you worship. And if you’re trying to serve Jesus, but you aren’t worshiping Jesus, it may, in fact, be someone else you serve.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■ Deacon Bob Hunt is a husband, father, grandfather, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville.

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

Encountering God in the Liturgy

by Father Randy Stice

The General Calendar is a living document The calendar includes the celebration of saints’ solemnities, feasts, and memorials

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ast month, I introduced the liturgical year and discussed what is known as the Proper of Time (the temporal cycle) that begins in late November/early December with Advent and comprises the seasons (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time) and major feasts (preeminently Christmas and the Triduum) of our salvation. In this column, I want to discuss the Proper of Saints (the sanctoral cycle), the calendar of saints that begins in January and concludes with St. Sylvester I on Dec. 31.

The veneration of saints began in the second century with the first martyrs—Polycarp was probably the first to be venerated—and soon included the apostles. The third century added confessors, usually bishops who suffered prison or exile but were not killed, and in the late fourth century monks were added. All were Christians who were held in high regard for the vital role they played in the building of the Church. Liturgical calendars of saints in local churches began to appear in the mid-fourth century with the establishment of the feast of Christmas. In Carthage, the home of St. Augustine, a calendar from the year 506 celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25, followed by St. Stephen on the 26th, St. John and St. James on the 27th, and the Holy Innocents on the 28th. The first calendar that can be called a universal calendar for the entire Roman Church appeared by the end of the 10th century.

The current General Calendar for the universal Church was approved in 1970. It lays out the “entire cycle of celebrations of the mystery of salvation” and “those saints who have universal significance and therefore are obligatorily celebrated by everyone.” 1 The celebrations of the saints are ranked according to their importance. Solemnities are first in rank.

They begin the evening before, so a vigil Mass can be celebrated. They include the Gloria and Creed and have two readings (and the responsorial psalm) before the Gospel. The greatest solemnities are Easter and Christmas, but other solemnities include the Assumption (Aug. 15) and the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8) of the Blessed Virgin Mary; St. Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (March 19); and Sts. Peter and Paul (June 29).

Next in importance are feasts, which are celebrated “within the limits of the natural day” 2 (morning to evening). Feasts include the Gloria but only one reading (and the responsorial psalm) before the Gospel. Examples of feasts include the apostles (except for Sts. Peter and Paul mentioned above); Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels (Sept. 29); and Our Lady of Guadalupe (Dec. 12). When feasts of the Lord Jesus, such as the Transfiguration (Aug. 6), fall on Sundays in Ordinary Time and Christmas Time, they are celebrated as solemnities.

Third in importance are memorials, which are either obligatory (must be celebrated) or optional

(may be celebrated, but another Mass may be celebrated instead).

Examples of obligatory memorials are St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr (Feb. 23); St. Augustine (Aug. 28); and St. Vincent de Paul (Sept. 27).

Examples of optional memorials are St. Blaise (Feb. 3), St. Patrick (March 17), St. Maria Goretti (July 6), and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (Oct. 16).

The General Calendar is a living document, and a number of saints have been added to it in the past few years. These include the optional memorials of St. Paul VI (May 29), St. Faustina Kowalska (Sept. 17), St. John XXIII (Oct. 11), St. John Paul II (Oct. 22), and Our Lady of Loreto (Dec. 10).

Saints of regional origin and devotion can be inserted into the General Roman Calendar, resulting in what are termed particular calendars. The particular calendar for the United States, for example, includes St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Jan. 4), St. Katherine Drexel (March 3), Blessed Junipero Serra, priest (July 1), and St. Peter Claver (Sept. 9). Recent additions to our particular calendar include the obligatory memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (July 14) and the optional memorials of St. Marianne Cope (Jan. 23) and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (Oct. 5). Although St. Teresa of Calcutta (Sept. 5) has not been included in the General Roman Calendar, she was added to our particular calendar in 2022 as an optional memorial. Here is the link to the 2024 liturgical calendar for the United States: www.usccb.org/

resources/2024cal.pdf.

The events of our salvation are celebrated and made present in the Proper of Time, but interwoven throughout are the commemorations of the saints that “proclaim the wonderful works of Christ in his servants.” 3 St. Teresa of Avila, a year before beginning her Carmelite reform, on the feast day of St. Clare was given a remarkable example of the power of the liturgical celebration of the saints. Teresa described her experience: “while I was going to Communion, St. Clare appeared to me with striking beauty. She told me to take courage and to continue on with what I had begun, that she would help me. I became very devoted to her; and what she said has indeed come true.” 4 St. Teresa’s experience is an exceptional example of how the saints offer us their example, companionship, and sure support so that “we may run as victors in the race before us and win with them the imperishable crown of glory.” 5 Universal Norms of the Liturgical Year, 49.

2 Universal Norms of the Liturgical Year, 13.

3 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 111.

4 The Book of Her Life, vol. I, p. 290.

5 Roman Missal, third edition, Preface I of Saints. ■ 1

Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy.

He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox. org.

COURTESY OF VERONICA NACCHIO (3)

Alexian Village residents celebrate Veterans Day The residents of Alexian Village in Signal Mountain celebrated Veterans Day on Nov. 11 with prayer, choral singing, and recognition of the residents who have served the United States in the military. The 9:30 a.m. Mass was offered for the deceased veterans who have been residents of the Alexian Continuing Care Retirement Community, the only such community in the Diocese of Knoxville. Following the Mass, a patriotic celebration took place at 11 a.m. in the Town Hall, during which the hymns of each branch of the military were included during the choral program that was led by Fred Faery, a retired member of the military and a graduate of West Point.

Refreshments were then served in the Town Hall, which boasts a wall honoring all residents who have served in the U.S. military.

Daily readings Friday, Dec. 15: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Matthew 11:16-19 Saturday, Dec. 16: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Matthew 17:9-13 Sunday, Dec. 17: Isaiah 61:1-2, 1011; Luke 1:46-50, 53-54; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28 Monday, Dec. 18: Jeremiah 23:5-8; Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19; Matthew 1:18-25 Tuesday, Dec. 19: Judges 13:2-7, 2425; Psalm 71:3-6, 16-17; Luke 1:5-25 Wednesday, Dec. 20: Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 1:26-38 Thursday, Dec. 21: Song of Songs 2:8-14; Psalm 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21; Luke 1:39-45 Friday, Dec. 22: 1 Samuel 1:24-28; 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8; Luke 1:46-56 Saturday, Dec. 23: Malachi 3:1-4, 2324; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; Luke 1:57-66 Sunday, Dec. 24: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

8-12, 14, 16; Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38; vigil Mass for Christmas, Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Matthew 1:1-25 Monday, Dec. 25: The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), Mass during the night, Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 96:1-3, 11-13; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14; Mass at dawn, Isaiah 62:1112; Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20; Mass during the day, Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98:1-6; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18 Tuesday, Dec. 26: Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr, Acts 6:8-10 and 7:54-59; Psalm 31:3-4, 6, 8, 16-17; Matthew 10:17-22 Wednesday, Dec. 27: Feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist, 1 John 1:1-4; Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12; John 20:1-8 Thursday, Dec. 28: Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs, 1 John 1:5–2:2; Psalm 124:2-5, 7-8; Matthew 2:13-18

Friday, Dec. 29: 1 John 2:3-11; Psalm 96:1-3, 5-6; Luke 2:22-35 Saturday, Dec. 30: 1 John 2:12-17; Psalm 96:7-10; Luke 2:36-40 Sunday, Dec. 31: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Psalm 128:1-5; Colossians 3:12-21; Luke 2:22-40 Monday, Jan. 1: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21 Tuesday, Jan. 2: Memorial of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church, 1 John 2:22-28; Psalm 98:14; John 1:19-28 Wednesday, Jan. 3: 1 John 2:29–3:6; Psalm 98:1, 3-6; John 1:29-34 Thursday, Jan. 4: Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, religious, 1 John 3:7-10; Psalm 98:1, 7-9; John 1:35-42 Friday, Jan. 5: Memorial of St. John Neumann, bishop, 1 John 3:11-21; Psalm 100:1-5; John 1:43-51

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Saturday, Jan. 6: 1 John 5:5-13; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; Mark 1:7-11 Sunday, Jan. 7: The Epiphany of the Lord, Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12 Monday, Jan. 8: The Baptism of the Lord, Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29:14, 9-10; Mark 1:7-11 Tuesday, Jan. 9: 1 Samuel 1:9-20; 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8; Mark 1:21-28 Wednesday, Jan. 10: 1 Samuel 3:110, 19-20; Psalm 40:2, 5, 7-10; Matthew 1:29-39 Thursday, Jan. 11: 1 Samuel 4:1-11; Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25; Matthew 1:40-45 Friday, Jan. 12: 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 1022; Psalm 89:16-19; Mark 2:1-12 Saturday, Jan. 13: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19 and 10:1; Psalm 21:2-7; Mark 2:13-17 Sunday, Jan. 14: 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19; Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-10; 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20; John 1:35-42 n DECEMBER 3, 2023 n B7

Calendar continued from page B5 St. Simon Stock, Norwich Cathedral, Julian Chapel, and Walsingham Shrine.

Double-occupancy price is $4,795 and single-occupancy $6,295. To register, visit stcharlespilgrimages.com/reedmaples. E-mail questions to sjn pilgrimage@sjnknox.org.

A Seine River pilgrimage is set for June 9-17, with an optional pre-tour to Lourdes, home of St. Bernadette, from June 5-10. Pilgrims will visit Paris, Giverny, Lisieux, Rouen, the beaches of Normandy, and more. In Paris, they will see the Eiffel Tower, des ChampsÉlysées, and other city highlights during a panoramic tour. Travelers will visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on Rue Du Bac, where they will celebrate Mass and have time to visit the gift shop, followed by a short-distance walk to visit St. Vincent de Paul Church.

In Rouen, the travelers will retrace the footsteps of St. Joan of Arc. Rouen offers a restored medieval quarter and a Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame, often painted by Claude Monet. After disembarking in the port of Honfleur, the travelers will drive through Normandy to

Parish notes continued from page B4 provide support and companionship to the homebound and their caregivers in the parish. The ministry is also looking for referrals for those who may benefit from the homebound outreach. Contact Barbara O’Brien at stluke@sjnknox.org for more information.

The Council of Catholic Women sponsored a Christmas brunch with a cookie exchange Dec. 9 in Seton Hall.

Omaha Beach, where they will see the American Memorial and Cemetery. In Lisieux, home of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, the group will visit all the places associated with the life of the saint and her parents. Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica of St. Thérèse, followed by a visit to the crypt. The group will also visit the little town of Vernon and take an excursion to the Claude Monet estate in Giverny. The optional pre-tour to Lourdes includes Mass at the basilica, a walking tour of the sanctuary, including the grotto and the basilica, and a video presentation that explains Lourdes’ story in detail. Travelers will have time for private prayer and reflection and join the candlelight procession in the evening.

They will celebrate Mass at the grotto, where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette, drink water from the miraculous spring that has healed many, and visit the healing baths. Contact Lisa Morris at 865567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

A Danube River pilgrimage cruise is planned Oct. 20-30, with an optional four-day post tour to Krakow, Poland, from Oct. 30-Nov. 3. Join Dr. Marcellino

The St. Agnes Guild of the Council of Catholic Women sponsored a Giving Tree this month. Supporters donated an unwrapped gift to help children selected by the Greeneville/Greene County Ministerial Association Food Bank for assistance this Christmas. The guild also sponsored a kettle drive/bell ringing, to benefit the ministerial association food bank, at the entrance to the Walmart pharmacy Dec. 9 and 15.

The parish pro-life ministry’s Karaoke Night on Nov. 3 collected diapers and monetary donations for moms and babies in need. Winners of the singing competition were Ellie Sanchez and Irma Acevedo (duet) and Filipina Phan (solo).

The CCW held a Cookie Walk on Dec. 9 featuring numerous varieties of cookies and candy.

Knights of Columbus Ted Denning Council 8781 sponsored a recent Soccer Challenge penalty-kick contest.

Winners of the local-level contest, who earned the opportunity to advance to district-, regional-, and state-level events, were Jack Anderson, age 9 boys; Elin Rivera, age 10 girls; Eli Anderson, age 11 boys; Elise Culpepper, age 11 girls; John Toliver, age 12 boys; and Juliana Caroccio, age 12 girls.

A Dinner with St. Nicholas took place Dec. 6. Mass was celebrated at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner. Youth were invited to attend and have their picture taken with St. Nicholas.

Signups were held Dec. 9 and 10 for those interested in beginning a Legion of Mary group at Notre Dame.

Five Rivers Deanery

The parish thanked all of the volunteers who made its Trunk or Treat on Oct. 25 a success. Best trunks were judged by the youth group. Honors went to the Pletsch family (scariest decorations), Joyce Morris (tackiest), the Rapsys family (cutest), and the Turner family (most creative).

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

Anniversary: Clayton and Missy Myer (52)

The Council of Catholic Women’s Advent party was held Dec. 12 at Shoney’s in Dandridge.

St. Patrick, Morristown

A St. Nicholas party Dec. 10 in the parish life center gave children a chance to visit with St. Nicholas, hear his story, and have their picture taken with him.

The event also featured hot dogs, pizza, and chips, as well as music, games, goodie bags for kids, and door prizes for adults.

The CCW, as part of a diocesan-wide project, recently gathered and prepared 116 “Bags of Blessings” for the homeless.

Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies collected “Coats for the Cold” along with blankets, hats, mittens, and scarves at the church through Nov. 26.

Anne Wharton spoke on Advent at the CCW’s meeting Nov. 13.

Knights of Columbus Council 12838 thanked those who participated in and attended the second annual Pat Duda Memorial Chili Cook-Off and car show Nov. 11. The council also thanked Kathleen Van Orsdel of the Jefferson County chapter of Quilts of Valor, who presented a quilt at the event to Jamie Roberts for his service.

Anniversary: Raymond and Nina Smith (35) Notre Dame, Greeneville Five members of the fall mystagogia class—Josh Blanchard, Lauren Constant, Tom Constant, Louann Lucius, and Phil Shelton—received the sacraments of confirmation and first Eucharist at the 11 a.m. Mass on Dec. 3.

B8 n DECEMBER 3, 2023

The Council of Catholic Women is hosting a painting party at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, in the parish center. Jennifer Klinzing, a professional artist and St. Patrick parishioner, will walk everyone step by step through the painting of an 11-by-14 festive artwork.

The parish’s newly formed Spiritual Life Committee will plan holy hours, rosaries, adoration opportunities, novenas, studies, and more. To join the committee or learn more, e-mail Lori Batman at jr batman@yahoo.com or Renee McGarel at rmcgarel22@gmail.com.

A Service of Lessons & Carols was held Dec. 3 featuring songs that date back to the late 19th century.

D’Ambrosio, better known as Dr. Italy, historian, theologian, and speaker, for a Danube River pilgrimage themed “The Beauty of God’s Creation,” including Munich, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and much more. Visit www.crossroadsinitiative.com/dr-italy/ for more details.

The ship is the Amadeus Riva. The sightseeing tour of Krakow includes visiting sites in the Medieval Old Town and on Wawel Hill, where pilgrims will see the cathedral with the St. Stanislaus Shrine, which contains the relics of Poland’s patron saint. They will see the pope’s room and the famous Pope’s Window honoring St. John Paul II. The group will travel a short distance to visit the Divine Mercy Shrine, where St. Faustina, the Apostle of Divine Mercy, lived and died. Members will celebrate Mass at the Divine Mercy Shrine and visit the new center, “Have No Fear,” dedicated to St. John Paul II, to venerate his relics. They will visit Czestochowa and the Jasna Gora Monastery to see the miraculous icon of the Black Madonna. The group will have time to explore the monastery and celebrate Mass. Time for prayer and reflection is scheduled. In Wieliczka, the group

will visit Europe’s oldest salt mine, which UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site. The mines are a unique place where many generations of Polish miners have created a world of underground chambers and decorated chapels carved out of salt, including the famous Chapel of St. Kinga. The travelers will celebrate Mass at St. John Paul II Chapel before continuing to Wadowice, the hometown of Pope St. John Paul II, and visit his childhood home, which is now a museum. They will visit the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, where he was baptized. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@select-intl.com.

nabelle Mulliken (5), Agustin Sanchez and Reina Huerta-Galvez (5)

the meeting. IC’s representatives spoke about the parish’s pressing parking challenges and how new construction efforts in the area of the church will further compound the parking problem.

Smoky Mountain Deanery Holy Ghost, Knoxville Advent Lessons & Carols will be presented by the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the church. The student choir will sing traditional music of Advent and Christmas, interwoven with sacred Scriptures proclaiming salvation history.

The Council of Catholic Women has two works of mercy that began in early December and will continue through Advent. An empty manger has been placed near the front doors of the church for parishioners to fill with new baby layette items that may include diapers, pacifiers, wipes, onesies, and small bottles of shampoo and/or baby wash. The effort supports mothers who need help providing for their newborns.

A mitten tree is on the St. Joseph side of the church near the front. Parishioners can decorate it with warm winter accessories like gloves, hats, scarves, warm socks, and mittens for those who need help staying warm this winter.

New items are preferred, but gently used items are acceptable, too.

The Knights of Columbus are sponsoring a Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest for any youth from kindergarten through eighth grade. The posters will be grouped by age and judged locally, with winning entries advancing to the district/region and then to state, national, and international levels. The winning entries may serve as the basis for a series of new Christmas posters that encourage a deeper understanding of the holiday. Creative credit will be given to the winning artists. Submissions are due by Friday, Dec. 22. Contact Morgan Crace at morgwreck243@yahoo. com for more information.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

A “Breakfast with St. Nicholas” took place Dec. 2. The event included the meal, cookie decorating, and more.

Knights of Columbus Council 645 held its annual Christmas dinner and toy drive Dec. 14 in the parish hall. The dinner was free, but those attending were asked to bring a new unwrapped toy for a child. Toys were donated to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

The parish Cursillo group hosted a concert of Spanish worship music by Sister Gela on Nov. 16.

The annual Christmas Carol Festival and blessing and lighting of the Christmas tree took place Dec. 12 in the parish hall.

The CCW thanked all who donated items, including $300 in monetary donations or gift cards, for a recent baby shower to benefit Life Outreach Center in Jefferson City. To donate items to the center, contact Carol Baker at 423-3124390 or carolbaker14@gmail.com.

The women’s group held a holiday social Dec. 7 in the parish hall that included dinner featuring ham and turkey as well as a gift-exchange game.

Anniversaries: Thurman and Janice Catron (66), Francis and Kathleen Dubey (65), Mike and Dorothy Nosal (59), Fred and Claire Lockhart (53), James and Ann Mach (52), Frank and Helen Brazaitis (40), Daniel Espinoza-Iglas and Paula Jimenez-Pena (40), Antonio Jasso and Magdalena Vazquez (25), Scott and Susan Shafer (25), Harold and An-

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; at 2 p.m. each Sunday and at 6 p.m. most Mondays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City; and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.

For more information, visit www.Knox LatinMass.net. n

Doug Stethen, Marianne Greene, and IC associate pastor Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, along with representatives from downtown churches and civic organizations, attended a meeting Nov. 7 to discuss the shortage of available parking in downtown Knoxville. Three executives of the Wagner City Planning consulting agency, which has been hired by the city to do an extensive study of the parking situation, listened to the concerns and feedback from those at

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IC thanked parishioners for helping it reach its goal of $3,000 on a Giving Tuesday campaign to benefit its Summit Towers ministry. IC also expressed its gratitude for parishioners’ support of a baby-bottle drive to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s pregnancy help centers. The parish and Knights Council 645 raised $4,200 for the centers, and with an $800 match from the Knights’ ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program, the total will be $5,000.

The parish thanked the IC Bees for their donation of $100 from their Craft Fair proceeds and the IC women’s group for its donation of $277.37 from its Craft Fair proceeds. The fair was held Nov. 18-19. Basket winners from the Craft Fair included Ellen McWhirter, Pat Ryan, Becky Kilby, Susan Lane, Mary Catherine Willard, Jeanie Matthews, Amanda Peavyhouse, Dan Phillips, Ginny Wood, Billy Zengel, and Jennifer McNutt.

The Haiti Committee thanked parishioners for their continued support of IC’s twin parish and its school in Fond des Blancs, Haiti. Their generosity helps the committee send about $4,000 each quarter to Father Belizaire to apply to the area of greatest need, which is almost always the school.

St. John XXIII, Knoxville Ed Miller of St. John XXIII, founding editor of The East Tennessee Catholic, and wife Ghislaine celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary Oct. 24. Pastor Father Don Andrie, CSP, blessed their marriage and their rings, the same ones they put on 65 years ago.

The parish collected winter clothing for children and adults for the Ladies of Charity from Nov. 11-19. Items donated included socks, gloves, sweaters, hats, scarves, and coats.

Former St. John XXIII associate pastor Father John Ardis, CSP, was elected in October to serve as vice president of the Paulist Fathers.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville The women’s group sponsored a holiday cookie exchange Dec. 13. The parish Christmas party potluck was held Dec. 10, featuring Santa, music, and food.

The Knights of Columbus hosted their seventh annual Christmas concert Dec. 9. The Rarity Bay Strummers played Christmas favorites for adults and children of all ages. Special Christmas gifts were given to children.

Jim and Jackie Hull sold rosaries and Christian jewelry designed by Mr. Hull, after Masses on Nov. 18-19.

St. Joseph the Worker held a meetand-greet for new members Nov. 12. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

Catholic schools

Coulter Family Playfield ribbon-cutting held at Sacred Heart Cathedral School Sacred Heart Cathedral School held a ribbon-cutting and blessing for its new Coulter Family Playfield on Dec. 1.

Cathedral rector Father David Boettner presided at an all-school Mass before the ceremony outdoors. Above, Grayson Coulter cuts the ribbon surrounded by his family as Mindy Coulter helps with the ceremonial scissors. Grayson is the son of John and Ashley Coulter and a grandson of Tom and Mindy Coulter, and he is in the third grade at Sacred Heart. Assisted by Deacon Walt Otey (below), Father Boettner leads a prayer for the new turf field. At bottom right, Tom and Mindy Coulter, who were the major donors for the field, look at the dedication plaque. Tom Coulter is an alumnus of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. Mr. and Mrs. Coulter have four children, all of whom are alumni of Sacred Heart and Knoxville Catholic High School.

The Coulters have seven grandchildren ages 9 and under, four of whom are students at Sacred Heart.

T

he middle school soccer team at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga recently won the Independent Schools Conference championship for the second year in a row.

The Rams, a co-ed team coached

by John Deprima, finished the season with an 8-2 record. OLPH defeated Berean Academy of Hixson 2-1 in the ISC championship game.

OLPH competes in its ISC district with Oakwood Academy of Chickamauga, Ga., Berean, and Boyd-Buchanan of Chattanooga.

Players for the Rams’ soccer team are eighth-graders Jenna Sullivan, Colton Deprima, Alex Evinger, Cruz Hall, and Jacob Wylie; seventh-graders Ethan Land, Holder Donnelly, Estrella Chanchavac, Trey Hall, Ashley Diaz, Caroline Pierce, Catherine Lee, Braylon McRae, Arianna Macias, Carson Deprima, Abby Wesson, and Kelly Juarez; and sixth-graders Savannah Jones, Brady Cottle, Harper Kinzer, Conner Schubert, Geovanni Galvez, Haiston Young, Dexter Miller, Max Siliarskyi, and Camila ParraChavez. n

COURTESY OF KATE RODEN

Our Lady of Perpetual Help soccer team repeats as conference champs

ISC champs—again The Our Lady of Perpetual Help middle school soccer team won the Independent Schools Conference championship for the second straight year.

KCHS cross country and golf teams reach state level

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

COURTESY OF PAM RHOADES (2)

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noxville Catholic High School cross country runners and golfers competed at the state level this fall.

Junior Keegan Smith finished third in the Division II, Class AA boys 5K run in the state meet Nov. 2-3 at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville.

Keegan’s time was 15 minutes, 2.24 seconds.

KCHS sophomore runner Radek Molchan finished fifth in the state meet in 15:19.32. Junior Tony Ortega placed 32nd for the Fighting Irish.

Teammate Gonzalo Vela, a junior, was 37th.

Sophomore Emerion Woldemichael was 39th, freshman Cade Duncanson 40th, and freshman Tom Namey 48th.

Keegan, Radek, Tony, Gonzalo, and Emerion, as KCHS’s top-five runners, gave the Fighting Irish 116 team points, good for a fifth-place finish in the state meet.

For the Lady Irish cross country team, junior Eileen Loebner was the top finisher in the state 5K meet, coming in 36th. Also placing for the KCHS girls were sophomore Brianna Cisneros in 41st and sophomore Elizabeth Wolski in 49th. Other Lady Irish finishers were freshman Juliet Biden, sophomore Audrey Erwin, sophomore Jillian Barry, and sophomore Placey Thompson.

The Lady Irish finished 11th in the team standings with 318 points.

Knoxville Catholic’s girls golf team placed third in the Division II-AA state tournament Oct. 9-10 on the Highland Course at Sevierville Golf Club. The Lady Irish shot 158 in round one and 165 in round two for a two-day total of 43-over-par 323.

Freshman Teagan Walker of the Lady Irish placed 11th in the individual standings with a two-day total of 17-over 75-82—157. Senior Victoria Tampas of KCHS tied for 16th with a pair of 83s for a 166 score. Teammate Linzy Johnson, a freshman, scored 89-94—183 to finish 21st.

Teagan scored a 2 on the par-3 13th hole in

The race is on Keegan Smith (No. 9111) and Radek Molchan of KCHS lead the pack at the KIL cross country championships this fall. Behind them are (from left) Irish runners Tony Ortega, Gonzalo Vela, and Cade Duncanson. At right are Lady Irish golfers (from left) Teagan Walker, Linzy Johnson, and Victoria Tampas. round one. She also birdied the par-4 10th in round two. Victoria birdied the first two holes in round one, starting with a par-5 opening hole and a par-4 second, and birdied the 10th in round two.

KCHS boys golf junior Grant Odom finished tied for 21st in the state tournament with a total of 76-75—151, good for 7-over par on the River Course at Sevierville Golf Club. Grant birdied the par-3 fourth hole and the par-4 fifth in round w ww.di o k no x .o rg

one. He also shot a 4 on the par-5 third hole and birdied the fifth again in round two. n DECEMBER 3, 2023 n B9

Catholic schools

KCHS, Notre Dame athletes sign with colleges

Taking the next step Signing from Knoxville Catholic High School are (from left) Sydney Mains with Florida Atlantic, Addison Moss with Brevard, Eleni Liakonis with Samford, Caroline Krueger with Milligan, Hudson Lutterman with Virginia Tech, Jack Judd with King, and Grant Tallent with Johnson University.

Trio of signees Notre Dame High School students signing with colleges are Maggie Fillauer (left) with Wingate, Caimen Cothron with UT-Chattanooga, and Cole McCormick with Alabama-Huntsville.

Knoxville Catholic has a goal of repeating as state champion, Sydney said.

“We’ve got some really good girls. We have 10 girls who can play, so I think we’re going to do better than we did last year. I mean, we won state, but as a team I think we’re going to be better and have high scoring across the

board,” she said.

Sydney no longer feels the burden of being the team’s leading scorer.

“Maybe my freshman year, but now I don’t feel that at all because if I have a bad game, there are other people who can pick me up but also take over some of that role,” she said. n

COURTESY OF ALLISON HATTON

COURTESY OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

DR. KELLY KEARSE

COURTESY OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

fifth grade in travel and school basketball.

Mr. Mains was glad to see signing day arrive.

“It’s a huge day for the Mains family and the Krueger family.

These kids have worked an insane amount of hours, sacrificed, and gotten a lot back in return. This is just the cherry on top. I’m just so excited for these kids,” he said.

Sydney has received several accolades in her career.

“She’s worked for all of them, and then she’s had a tremendous amount of support around her, her teachers, her coaches, and her teammates. It’s been a blessing moving to Knoxville,” Mr. Mains said.

Sydney has averaged about 20 points per game and was closing in on 2,000 career points as her senior season began. Sydney and Caroline have led the Lady Irish’s resurgence in recent years.

“They’ve been here together for four years and kind of turned this program around, those two have,” Mr. Mains said.

Sydney said she is “super excited” to sign with Florida Atlantic.

“It’s a relieving feeling for sure.

I’m happy that the process is finally coming to a close. I enjoyed it while it happened. I found somewhere that I’m excited to be for the next four years,” she said.

She narrowed down her college choices to the Owls’ program.

“After talking with the coaches, I felt like they truly believed in me and believed that I could help their program evolve. I enjoyed being down there with the team whenever I went, so overall everything about it just felt right,” she said.

Florida Atlantic made headlines last spring when its men’s basketball program made a surprise run to the Final Four.

“Their coach is pretty awesome. I got to meet coach Dusty May when we were down there. He’s very humble and very deserving,” Sydney said.

Jennifer Sullivan will be Sydney’s head coach on the women’s team at FAU.

COURTESY OF NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

K

noxville Catholic High School and Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga each held a National Signing Day Ceremony on Nov. 8.

Seven athletes signed with colleges at KCHS, and three from NDHS committed to their future academic and athletic pursuits.

Sydney Mains and Caroline Krueger of the KCHS defending state-champion basketball girls team were among those signing.

Sydney committed to Florida Atlantic University and Caroline to Milligan University.

Addison Moss signed with Brevard College in soccer for Knoxville Catholic, as did Eleni Liakonis with Samford University in tennis, Hudson Lutterman with Virginia Tech University in baseball, Jack Judd with King University in baseball, and Grant Tallent with Johnson University in baseball.

Notre Dame’s Cole McCormick will play basketball for John Shulman at the University of Alabama at Huntsville next season. Coach Shulman previously was at The McCallie School in Chattanooga and was the former head coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Cole is a 1,000-point scorer at Notre Dame High School.

Maggie Fillauer of Notre Dame will continue her volleyball career at Wingate University next fall. She is just coming off an outstanding senior season leading the Lady Irish volleyball team to both the district and region championships. Caimen Cothron of NDHS will play beach volleyball at UTC next year. The beach volleyball team at UTC is a relatively new program, and she will be a solid addition to the team.

Sydney and Caroline of KCHS are coached by Sydney’s father, Travis Mains, with mom Missey Mains as an assistant coach. The Lady Irish have made the state tournament in all three of the two seniors’ previous seasons, but last spring they captured the program’s first-ever state title. Sydney was named the most valuable player of the state tourney. Mr. and Mrs. Mains have coached Sydney since

DR. KELLY KEARSE

Seven from Knoxville Catholic High School commit to their futures while three from NDHS do By Dan McWilliams

St. Mary-Oak Ridge students dress up for All Saints Day Fourth-grade students at St. Mary School in Oak Ridge celebrated All Saints Day on Nov. 1 by dressing up as a saint and talking about that saint at the end of Mass.

From left are (front row) Quentin Gardner, Alex Weiskopff, Antoinette Jawdy, Emilia Stitz, Emma Sheehan, Dayra Amaya, Ava Snyder, Roman Malevich, and Elijah Flores and (back row) St. Mary pastor Father Ray Powell, Jake Hill, June Suits, Gabe Parrilla, Solomon Evans, Elise Duhamel, Aggie Barnes, Deacon Gary Sega, and Juelz Soto.

B10 n DECEMBER 3, 2023

Notre Dame High School honors alumni, Monsignor Humbrecht Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga honored the recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the Jim Phifer Service Award at an all-school Mass on Nov. 16. Karl Fillauer of the class of 1966, Col. Larry Skelly (’64), and Tony Neuhoff (’74) were honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy, has been awarded the Jim Phifer Service Award for exemplary dedication and service to Notre Dame. Monsignor Humbrecht’s former students, Father Mike Nolan and Father Peter Iorio, joined him to concelebrate Mass. From left are Mr. Fillauer; Monsignor Humbrecht; Linda Neuhoff, widow of Tony Neuhoff; and Col. Skelly.

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