DOK parishioners’ donations for flood relief set a record
The East Tennessee Catholic
East Tennessee ’s Catholic faithful stepped up when it counted in response to the devastating floods that overwhelmed communities like Erwin and Newport Sept. 26-27. That response in resources and financial support has been, well, overwhelming. According to the Diocese of Knoxville, more than $600,000 has been collected and will go toward disaster relief in upper East Tennessee.
Shannon Hepp, chief financial officer for the Diocese of Knoxville, reports that as of Dec. 10, $618,296 has been raised for the effort, including $43,267 that the diocese collected for local disasters in a prior year that had not been used. Monetary collections just for Hurricane Helene relief since the devastating flooding Sept. 26-27 are more than $575,000. That amount includes a $10,000
Donations continued on page A13
Mary's
Clinic and crew are in action at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Erwin on Oct. 11. Above: Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, directs more than 60 volunteers for disaster relief.
St. Mary’
s
Legacy Clinic aids victims of Helene flooding
By Gabrielle Nolan
Following the Sept. 26-27 storm in East Tennessee caused by Hurricane Helene, St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic responded to Erwin, Mountain City, and Newport in October to meet the needs of locals impacted by the devastating flooding.
On Oct. 11, the mobile medical clinic, which provides health care to the medically uninsured within the Diocese of Knoxville, traveled from Knoxville to Erwin. A subset of volunteers made the journey from Erwin to Mountain City. In Erwin, the clinic set up tent stations outdoors at St. Michael the Archangel Church. Inside the church building, the Mexican consulate was present to aid locals who were in need of new documentation after the flooding.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also was present to inquire with locals about any property damage they Response continued on page A12
An ET parish with presidential ties
By Emily Booker
As the nation prepares to transition from its 46th president to president No. 47, history is telling us that one parish in East Tennessee had a U.S. president to thank for its establishment.
President Andrew Johnson, whose birthday is celebrated on Dec. 29, began his career as a tailor in Greeneville. He was not committed to any particular denomination, though he attended the Methodist church with his wife, Eliza. He was comfortable visiting a variety of churches and supported various churches’ efforts. He also staunchly defended the Constitution, including the freedom of religion.
Andrew Johnson served as a U.S. House representative for Tennessee from 1842-1852. At this time, the Know Nothing movement was espousing heavy anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentiment. Mr. Johnson strongly defended Catholics against the bias and propaganda.
In a debate in the House in 1845, he said, “The Catholics of this country had the right secured to them by the Constitution of worshiping the God of their fathers in the manner dictated by their own consciences. They sat down under their own vine and fig tree, and no man could interfere with them. This country was not prepared to establish an inquisition to try and punish men for their religious belief. … Are the bloodhounds of persecution and proscription to be let loose upon foreigners and Catholics because some of them have acted with the Democratic party in the recent contest? ... From whence or how was obtained the idea that Catholicism is hostile to liberty, political or religious?” He then quoted George Washington, “I hope
ever to see America foremost among the nations of the earth in examples of
East Tennessee roots President Andrew Johnson was a strong defender of the Constitution and religious liberty. He is buried in the Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville.
WIKI COMMONS
No. 17 President Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Abraham Lincoln, was born on Dec. 29, 1808, in Raleigh, N.C., settled in Greeneville, and died on July 31, 1875, in Elizabethton.
The power of prayer
Pope ’s prayer network mobilizes Catholics to bring compassion into the world
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
Prayer has the power to transform today’s Catholics into modern-day apostles who can respond to what the world truly needs, said the new acting international director of the pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.
“Prayer is not just reciting words,” Jesuit Father Cristobal Fones told Catholic News Service at a Vatican press event on Dec. 5.
When done right, prayer creates an intimate connection with the Lord, he said, “and that transforms us. I think the more we pray in that sense, the more we get closer as collaborators, as apostles, in Christ’s mission of compassion” in today’s world.
Pope Francis named Father Fones to be the new international director of the global network starting in January, taking over from Jesuit Father Frédéric Fornos, whom the pope appointed in
Spreading the good news about prayer From left, Jesuit Father Cristobal Fones, acting international director of Pope Francis' Worldwide Prayer Network, speaks at an event at the Vatican on Dec. 5. He is joined by Bettina Raed, international vice director of the network, and Jesuit Father Miguel Pedro Melo, who will join Ms. Raed as co-international vice director in July.
2016. The prayer network, formerly called the Apostleship of Prayer, is a Jesuit-run outreach that
The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 77th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.
A December prayer intention for pilgrims of hope
“We pray that this Jubilee Year strengthens our faith, helping us to recognize the Risen Christ in our daily lives, and that it may transform us into pilgrims of Christian hope.”–
Pope Francis
has given Catholics the pope’s monthly prayer intentions since 1890. The global prayer network started offering the prayer inten-
tions on video over social media in 2016. Today, thepopevideo.org releases a new video every month in 22 languages.
The international network is present online at popesprayer.va and in 92 countries; it is made up of more than 22 million Catholics. It includes a youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement, which is an international movement for the Christian formation of children and young people from 5 to 25 years old.
The network coordinates a number of projects in addition to “The Pope Video,” including: n The website clicktopray.org and a mobile app in seven languages to connect to hundreds of thousands of others to pray “with the pope” using his monthly prayer intentions; to pray every day by receiving notifications and inspirational thoughts for prayer or reflection; and to “pray with the network” where users, includ-
How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program
The Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).
CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.
“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.
Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.
Education is a key
element of the Safe Environment Program
All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.
In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.
The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The CMG Connect
platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.
In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, or through Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and/ or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information ■
May the peace and joy of Christ fill your hearts this holy season
everal years ago, I noticed a wonderful church sign. It said something along the lines of: “If you don’t have Christmas in your heart, you won’t find it under the tree either.” I found myself pondering “having Christmas in your heart.”
One of my favorite things to do in the evenings around Christmas is to enter the house quietly at night and approach the Nativity scene in the living room to take some quiet moments before the miniature Bethlehem. Only the tiny bulb in the crèche lights the scene, and I imagine I am standing there, sort of like a shepherd on that first night. What in the world was God thinking?
During the spiritual exercises, St. Ignatius invites the retreatant in one prayer period to imagine God: Father, Son, and Spirit, pondering the earth and engaging in discussion before the Son takes on our humanity. That the God who created the whole universe would become a tiny, vulnerable child, a helpless infant: astounding!
Why would God do such a thing?
One author notes that babies are irresistible. We are drawn to them. The very vulnerability of God helps to remove our fear and pride, to allow God into our hearts. Last year, in the days before Christmas, I was struck with an upper respiratory illness and by Christmas Eve it finally became apparent to me that I would not be able to celebrate midnight Mass. I was heartbroken that is one of my favorite liturgies of the year.
As I quietly prayed vespers and began to meditate that night, I suddenly became aware of the presence of the Risen Christ with me. He invited
me in my mind’s imagination to go with Him to that moment of the Nativity, and I found myself there before Mary and Joseph and the Child Jesus. As St. Ignatius invites us to do, the scene became so real that all of my senses were engaged. Mary invited me to hold the Christ Child, and I did!
Joy filled my heart as tears poured down my
face. Christ gave me the unique opportunity to be present with Him in his Nativity when I could not celebrate it with the community of faith in the Liturgy of Christmas. The mystery of Christmas had entered my heart!
This year, my prayer for all of you, dearly beloved people in this Diocese of Knoxville, is that you, too, may personally be touched by the mystery of the God who became human in the person of Jesus, and that His personal love for you may fill your hearts with joy!
Perhaps it will happen as you notice the lights of Christmas in your neighborhoods at night. Perhaps you will feel it as you gaze upon a Christmas crèche or the face of a child delighting in the feast.
Perhaps it will come to you in the love and hospitality of family or friends who bring you Christmas greetings.
Perhaps it will happen in a moment of quiet prayer, when the Risen Lord fills your heart with His presence.
And most of all, perhaps it will fill you in the Liturgy of Christmas as you gather with all of God’s people to listen to His Word and to receive Him in the eucharistic Food of Life.
May the peace and joy of Christ, who became human for you, fill your hearts this Christmas season. May the beauty of His love for you free you from every sin and shadow of suffering and fill you with a light and peace that shines forth on everyone you meet in this holy season.
Christmas prayers and blessings to you and your families in the coming year. ■
Why we come a-caroling
Traditional
By Eddie O’Neill OSV News
WChristmas singing has a colorful history dating to early Christianity
hat would the Christmas season be without carols?
These seasonal songs seem to greet us everywhere this time of year with their familiar melodies and lyrics.
Though we may know the first verse and the refrain of a number of Christmas carols, do we know the origin of these songs we sing each December?
The singing of psalms and songs of praise in worship dates back to earliest Christian times, of course, a tradition with roots in Jewish religious custom. Hymns written especially in honor of Christ’s birth first appeared in the early centuries, such as “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” composed by the Latin poet Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-413).
Over time, the repertoire of Latin chant that developed for use in the Mass came to include propers written especially for the Nativity and nearby celebrations on the Church calendar, such as Advent and Epiphany. Their words were based on Scripture and other sacred texts.
The kind of popular song we would typically call a “Christmas carol” today, however, had different origins. The word “carol” probably comes from the French “carole,” a circle dance accompanied by singing, often with a verse and refrain pattern.
Up through the later Middle Ages, “caroles” were thus typically dance music for communal celebrations. But eventually they were used also as processional songs during religious festivals and as accompaniment for religious mystery plays.
Only later did they come to be sung in churches and associated with Christmas in particular.
The singing of popular Christmas tunes received a boost from St. Francis of Assisi. In 1223, he formed a living Nativity scene on the outskirts of town, inviting the children of his village to come see the crèche while he taught them simple songs to honor the coming of the Lord.
This new December custom grew larger and more ornate each year, spreading throughout Europe,
with each culture adding its own local customs to the celebrations. Carols were composed and learned by the common folk wherever the crèche and seasonal plays were performed.
To the chagrin of some local parish priests, many of these new Christmas carols borrowed melodies from well-known drinking songs. Clergy in some places opposed their being sung.
But the joy of singing carols was infectious and unstoppable. Bands of traveling singers and musicians, or carolers, as they would come to be known, performed on street corners, in taverns, and in homes in
village after village.
After the Protestant Reformation, which began in the 16th century, Lutherans followed the lead of their founder, the German Martin Luther (1483-1546), who encouraged his congregations to sing the popular songs of the Christmas season. But the 17th-century English Puritans outlawed the singing of Christmas carols, viewing them as “popish” holdovers.
Nevertheless, English Catholics (and no doubt some less strict Anglicans as well) continued to sing carols privately, such as “The First Noel” and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
After the passing of the Puritans from power in England, several 18th-century Anglican composers produced joyous hymns for the season. For example, Isaac Watts (16741748) wrote “Joy to the World”; John Francis Wade (c. 1711-1786), “O Come, All Ye Faithful”; and Charles Wesley (1707-1788), “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
During this time, the distinction between Christmas carols (popular songs for informal singing) and Christmas hymns (composed by skilled churchmen for formal use in worship) began to be blurred. Carols came to be sung in church, and hymns outside of liturgical settings. Christmas carols of all types experienced a renaissance in England, America, and elsewhere during the 19th century.
Some of the most familiar carols we sing today were composed at that time, such as “Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” “Sleep, Holy Babe,” “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” and “What Child Is This” (using an old English melody, “Greensleeves”).
When England’s Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert of Germany, in 1840, it became known that the royal couple was quite fond of Christmas carols. In an attempt to gain royal favor, numerous families and church groups came to the royal palace to sing for them.
Like the enthusiastic troubadours of past centuries, these English carolers of the Victorian age took to the streets of London with their songs.
In the United States, it was Lutheran and Methodist congregations, especially, who made carols popular both in worship and in the culture at large. By the end of the Civil War, caroling had become a way for many denominations to evangelize beyond their four church walls. Caroling groups brought joy to the sick and the homebound with their musical visits.
These days, caroling groups have been replaced in many ways by recorded Christmas music. Yet the sight of a group of carolers at the shopping mall or in the neighborhood still brings the season to life and is a reminder of the true meaning of the celebration. ■
BILL BREWER
The reason for the season This tabletop Nativity inside the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery is set against a framed print of the Nativity scene by Pietro Santi Bartoli titled Adoration of the Kings. Nativities are frequently seen throughout the diocese during Advent and the Christmas season.
Music ministry Above: The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles rehearse songs in their new chapel in Gower, Mo. Below: Members of the gospel choir of St. Saviour High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., sing during the Diocese of Brooklyn's annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony in 2019 at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn.
Diaconal ministry clearly present in the diocese
Bishop Beckman presides as deacons renew promises, candidates move
By Bill Brewer
Diocese of Knoxville deacons present and future were the focus of an Oct. 3 Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where Bishop Mark Beckman led the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders and the renewal of ordination promises.
Just as priests of the diocese renew their priestly vows at the Chrism Mass during Holy Week, permanent members of the diocesan diaconate renew their ordination promises once a year. And during this same Mass, aspirants to the permanent diaconate informed the Church in East Tennessee of their ministerial intentions.
Fourteen men are in the next class of permanent deacons and took an important step during the Mass toward ordination, which will occur in two to three years.
“I want to extend a very warm welcome to our deacon candidates. This is an important moment for you on your journey to diaconate ministry in the Church, an important steppingstone, saying ‘yes’ to the Lord,” Bishop Beckman said at the beginning of Mass.
“Also, I want to welcome our existing deacons. For all of you, too, this is a moment of joy. It reminds you of your own ‘yes’ to the Lord,” the bishop added.
Concelebrating the Mass were Father David Boettner, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Father Jhon Mario Garcia, associate pastor of the cathedral, and Father Andrew Crabtree, parochial vicar of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport.
Deacon Sean Smith served as deacon of the Word and Deacon Fredy Vargas was deacon of the altar. Deacon Walt Otey was master
of ceremonies. In his homily, Bishop Beckman explained what a gift it is to be blessed by the Gospels.
“The deacon is a preeminent proclaimer of the Gospel. Every
time you proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you bring blessings to the people of God. The Gospel we just heard (Luke 5:1-11) of the call of Simon Peter always makes me think back to the moment
when the Lord called me to ministry. I want those of you who are deacon candidates to think about the moment in your own life when you began to receive from the Lord the call to come and follow,” the bishop said.
“For some, it’s a very sudden moment when you realize, ‘I think the Lord is calling me to do this.’ And for some, it’s more gradual, isn’t it? Over time, gradually, the awareness of the attraction to this particular ministry deepens. In either case, it is the Lord Himself who calls, isn’t it?” he added.
Luke 5:1-11 describes how Jesus climbed aboard a boat belonging to Simon Peter as He was speaking to a crowd. Even though Simon Peter and other fi shermen with him had been unsuccessful in making a catch, Jesus asked him to go back out and put out his fi shing nets. Simon Peter did so, and soon his nets were teeming with fi sh. That is when Jesus responded with the well-known line: “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be fi shers of men.”
Bishop Beckman noted that it was remarkable a carpenter would board a boat and give instructions to a professional fi sherman.
“The boat is Peter’s place. It’s his space. And this carpenter gets into the boat with him. That’s what the Lord does. He shows up in our boats, in our own lives. The way they are, no matter whether we are fi nished or not. None of us is fi nished until we are probably six feet under, right?
“And I like Jesus’ gentle approach. It’s not the big ask at the beginning. It’s ‘Can I use your boat for a bit to speak the Gospel to the crowds on the seashore?’ But then there’s an invitation. The invitation is to go deeper. Let’s go out into the deep water for a Deacons continued on page A14
Embrace
Join us atop stunning Signal Mountain as we revel in the sights and sounds of the season. The halls of our faith-based retirement community are decked with holly, and holiday cheer is in the air. Tour beautifully decorated apartments, chat with residents, and discover the beauty of our campus and the joys of Independent Living. Refreshments will be served during the event.
Call 423-708-4073 or visit ascensionliving.org/AlexianVillageTN to connect today. Holiday Open House Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 | Noon 437 Alexian Way | Signal Mountain, TN 37377
Preeminent proclaimers Above: Bishop Mark Beckman gives a homily on the gifts of the diaconate during a Mass for current deacons and aspirants. Below: Bishop Beckman presides at the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders for diaconal aspirants during a Mass for deacons on Oct. 3 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fourteen men from around the diocese advanced to becoming diaconal candidates during the Mass.
‘ What are you looking for? Come and see ’ Hispanic Youth Ministry inspires with inaugural Diocesan Youth Day
By John Mecklenborg
he Diocese of Knoxville cel-
Tebrated its inaugural Diocesan Hispanic Youth Day on Nov. 9 with an unforgettable night of spiritual connection and worship at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut.
The event, guided by the inspiring motto ¿Qué buscas?, Ven y ver (“What are you looking for? Come and see") brought together more than 200 young Hispanic Catholics to explore and celebrate their faith through Mass, eucharistic adoration, inspirational talks, and musical performances.
The celebration commenced with music, traditional Guatemalan and Mexican folk dances, and talks from diocesan leaders, with Sister Maria del Pilar Hinojosa Aguilar, MAG, and Father Julio Padilla encouraging the young adults to grow in faith and vocation and offering advice for how to find friendships rooted in God.
“Hispanic youth are constantly looking for a space to encounter God,” said Magdiel Argueta, event organizer and coordinator for Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (Diocese of Knoxville Hispanic Youth Ministry). “Hispanic youth ... often work up to 60 hours a week making events like this invaluable for building a relationship with God, meeting like-minded peers, and celebrating culture.”
“They are far from their families, living in a foreign land… [working] to achieve certain goals,” Mr. Argueta noted.
“I was seeking a personal encounter with Jesus,” said Wendy Diaz, 20, of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown. “The talks opened my eyes to what God expects and wants from me.”
Following the talks, Estación Cero, a Catholic rock band hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, energized attendees with a nearly three-hour performance. Bringing a unique mix of pop, Latin rock, and worship music, the band blended its spiritual messaging with reverence to the Lord providing the soundtrack for an unforgettable Holy Hour of adoration and eucharistic procession.
“The moment of adoration was unique,” continued Miss Diaz. “That special encounter with our Lord has no words to describe it. I just know that in that moment, many young people were called.”
The evening was capped with Father Padilla and Father Jorge Mejia
presiding over midnight Mass, with the celebration ending after 1 a.m.
Jackie Altamirano, 24, of Thompson’s Station, Tenn., recounted: “It was something very beautiful and special. This was my first experience attending a gathering with so many young people.”
Miss Altamirano rarely has an opportunity to practice her faith with other young adults and was thrilled to travel to an event that encouraged her to grow in faith and meet likeminded youth.
Prayer continued from page A2
ing Pope Francis, can share their prayers with others.
n The Click to Pray eRosary app, which teaches people how to pray the rosary, contemplate the Gospel, and pray for peace with a traditional rosary or with an interactive rosary bracelet that connects to a smartphone using Bluetooth.
n The Way of the Heart, a formation program and spiritual itinerary of videos, audio files, books, texts, and images to help Catholics “enter into a mission of compassion for the world” by tuning into the heart of Jesus to become more available for mission and for mobilizing to meet the challenges
facing humanity and the mission of the Church.
Father Fones said one of the challenges he wants to tackle is to spread the word about the pope’s prayer intentions and “to help people to actually pray for (the intentions) and to get involved” in concretely addressing them.
While prayer is powerful, he said, the network’s mission also is to help Catholics become mobilized around the different themes the prayer intentions highlight, such as education for migrants and rights for women.
“They require action from our part,” he said.
The intentions also help Catho -
as young people, anything related to retreats or God often seems boring, and I understand; I used to think that way, too. But if you had seen what this experience was like, you would know it’s an event you cannot miss.”
Reflecting on the inaugural celebration, Mr. Argueta said, “My biggest takeaway was witnessing the deep thirst our youth have for God and seeing them travel from distant places to encounter Jesus and worship alongside other young people.”
Mr. Argueta reported that many attendees traveled from Middle Tennessee and neighboring states for the free event, adding that organizing and executing the day exceeded 300 percent of Pastoral Juvenil’s annual budget.
“By deciding to hold this event, I … took on a significant financial challenge,” he said.
This required a fundraising campaign from June through October to cover costs and promote the event regionally. With it proving to be a challenging process, Mr. Argueta said he held dear to John 15:16 during production of the event: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”
Mr. Argueta was able to cover the costs.
The Diocesan Hispanic Youth Day was inspired by Mr. Argueta’s experience doing pastoral work in Honduras, where Catholics celebrate a National Youth Day and Diocesan Youth Day. He wanted to bring a similar celebration to East Tennessee, and in February 2024 he presented the initiative to the Diocesan Pastoral Juvenil Council. Upon approval of the project, the council of volunteers from several parishes in the diocese began work immediately.
“Young people, come! It’s … unforgettable, you can have fun in a healthy way,” she said.
“I was just looking to have fun and spend a weekend out, but it turned out to be an unforgettable experience,” said Stacy Olmos, 26, of Columbia, Tenn. “I went with so much uncertainty and realized that true happiness comes from God. I am very thankful … seeing so many young people enjoying and rejoicing in that joy was the best thing I could have experienced. I know that
Building on the successes of the inaugural event, the council is looking toward the future.
“Hearing [attendees’] feedback about the event fills me with enthusiasm and confirms that it was a resounding success,” Mr. Argueta said.
Plans have already begun for next year, with the second event set for Nov. 14 at St. Patrick Church in Morristown. Pastoral Juvenil hopes to double attendance in 2025 and looks for continued openness from priests and parishes toward the growth in their ministry. ■
lics pray for more than just people and concerns in their own personal lives, he said. They expand hearts by opening up a person’s prayers “for other people that perhaps we don’t know, but they need our prayer and our commitment.”
Father Fones said he also wants to spread the Way of the Heart program, “which is built up under the light of the spiritual exercises in nine steps. It’s very well done. It’s a very organized and practical way to approach this different way of praying.”
“Because for many people, prayer is just saying things, but for us it is transforming ourselves into real apostles today for the
needs of the world as Jesus wants us to be,” he said.
At the Vatican event, Father Fones also introduced the rest of the new executive team, which includes Bettina Raed, international vice director since September, and Jesuit Father Miguel Pedro Melo, who will join her as co-international vice director starting in July. Pope Francis established the network as a pontifical work in 2018 to emphasize the universal character of its mission and to mobilize Catholics through prayer and action. The Holy Father then made it a pontifical foundation in 2020 and formally entrusted it to the Society of Jesus. ■
Carrying the faith Young adults from St. Patrick Parish in Morristown receive a cross and statue of the Virgin Mary to return to St. Patrick in anticipation of hosting next year's Diocesan Youth Day in November 2025. The inaugural Diocesan Youth Day at St. John Neumann Church was a "resounding success."
Encountering God Father Jorge Mejia, shown above, celebrated midnight Mass for the first Hispanic Youth Day on Nov. 9 at St. John Neumann Parish. Concelebrating the Mass with Father Mejia was Father Julio Padillla, associate pastor of the Church of the Nativity in Thompson's Station, Tenn., in the Diocese of Nashville
Making it happen Magdiel Argueta, event organizer and coordinator for Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (Diocese of Knoxville Hispanic Youth Ministry), and Father Julio Padilla of the Church of the Nativity led the Hispanic Youth Day.
Ready for next year More than 200 youth and young adults took part in the first Hispanic Youth Day, held Nov. 9 at St. John Neumann Parish. The second annual Hispanic Youth Day is set for November 2025 at St. Patrick Parish in Morristown.
DAN MCWILLIAMS
MAG Sisters conclude jubilee year with Masses, closing of Holy Door Remembering the Lord ’ s mercy
By Bill Brewer
The year 2024 has been pivotal for the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” (MAG), who serve in the Five Rivers and Chattanooga deaneries, as the religious order has commemorated its 75th anniversary.
Bishop Mark Beckman marked the jubilee year with a special Mass for the MAG Sisters on Nov. 7. The Sisters serving in the Diocese of Knoxville gathered in the Our Lady of the Mountains Chapel in the Chancery for the Mass.
Sister Eloísa Torralba Aquino, Sister Maria del Pilar Hinojosa Aguilar, Sister Maria Luisa Morales, and Sister Maria Esther Ordoñez Cuevas attended the Mass and were recognized for their ministry in the Catholic Church and the Church in East Tennessee.
Sister Eloísa serves at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. Sister Maria del Pilar serves at St. Bridget Parish in Dayton and Shepherd of the Valley Parish in Dunlap. Sister Maria Luisa serves at St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport and St. Patrick Parish in Morristown. And Sister Maria Esther serves at Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City. Bishop Beckman expressed joy and gratitude at celebrating the Mass for the MAG Sisters’ diamond jubilee.
“It is so good to be here to celebrate with you Sisters and to celebrate your jubilee, 75 years of service to the people of God as Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ‘Ad Gentes’ to the nations. What a beautiful vocation. I offer this Mass for you all and the good work you all are doing and all of your Sisters throughout the world,” Bishop Beckman said.
Deacon Fredy Vargas, who serves
Diamond jubilee Above: Bishop Mark Beckman celebrates Mass for the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus "Ad Gentes" on Nov. 7 in the Our Lady of the Mountains Chapel in the Chancery. The celebration commemorated the 75th anniversary of the religious order. Below: Bishop Beckman is joined after the Mass by, from left, Deacon Fredy Vargas, Sister Eloísa Torralba Aquino, Sister Maria del Pilar Hinojosa Aguilar, Sister Maria Esther Ordoñez Cuevas, Sister Maria Luisa Morales, and Blanca Primm, director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Knoxville
at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, was the deacon of the Word and altar. Blanca Primm, director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Knoxville, gave the read-
ing and responsorial.
In his homily, Bishop Beckman spoke of the appropriateness of the day’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, which wrote of Jesus spend-
ing time with tax collectors and sinners, to the displeasure of the Pharisees and Scribes.
The Gospel of Luke then tells of Jesus’ parable of the shepherd leaving all of his sheep to search for one that is lost, and upon finding the lost sheep rejoices that all are reunited.
“I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who have no need of repentance. And what woman who has 10 coins and loses one of them would not light a lamp and sweep the house searching carefully until she finds it. Then, when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ In just the same way, I tell you there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents,” Deacon Vargas said in giving the Gospel from Luke 15:1-10. Bishop Beckman said it is important to understand that Jesus gave this parable because the religious leaders of His day did not understand “why he was hanging out with sinners.”
“And to them He spoke the parable. What good news for all of us, right? When we are lost, the Lord will come looking for us. He will never leave us alone in the wilderness. His heart is one of compassion for us. Because we know that about the Lord and His goodness, He calls us to be like that and to reach out to the lost ones,” the bishop said.
The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” began their diamond jubilee year on Dec. 12, 2023, and celebrated with a Mass and the opening of a Holy Door at their convent in Jonesbor-
Sisters continued on page A16
The Vatican and Rome prepare to welcome millions for Holy Year 2025 ‘Pilgrims of Hope’
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
The celebration of a Holy Year every 25 years is an acknowledgment that “the Christian life is a journey calling for moments of greater intensity to encourage and sustain hope as the constant companion that guides our steps toward the goal of our encounter with the Lord Jesus,” Pope Francis has written.
Opening the Holy Door to St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve, the pope will formally inaugurate the Jubilee Year 2025 with its individual, parish, and diocesan pilgrimages and with special celebrations focused on specific groups from migrants to marching bands, catechists to communicators, and priests to prisoners.
Inside the Vatican basilica, the door had been bricked up since Nov. 20, 2016, when Pope Francis closed the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy.
Dismantling the brick wall began Dec. 2 with a ritual of prayer and the removal of a box containing the key to the door and Vatican medals. The Holy Doors at the basilicas of St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls were to be freed of their brickwork in the week that followed.
In January 2021, as the world struggled to return to some kind of normalcy after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis announced that he had chosen Pilgrims of Hope” as the theme for the Holy Year.
“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart, and farsighted vision,” the pope wrote in a letter entrust-
ing the organization of the jubilee to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the then-Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.
The pope prayed that the Holy Year would be marked by “deep faith, lively hope, and active charity.”
A holy year or jubilee is a time of pilgrimage, prayer, repentance, and acts of mercy based on the Old Testament tradition of a jubilee year of rest, forgiveness, and renewal. Holy years also are a time when Catholics make pilgrimages to designated churches and shrines, recite special prayers, go to confession, and receive Communion to receive a plenary indulgence, which is a remission of the temporal punishment due for one’s sins.
Crossing the threshold of the Holy Door does not give a person automatic access to the indulgence or to grace, as St. John Paul II said in his document proclaiming the Holy Year 2000. But walking
Celebrating the Jubilee
Nine
ways to mark the occasion during 2025
By Maria Wiering OSV News
As many as 35 million visitors are expected in Rome in 2025. Many of them will be pilgrims for the upcoming jubilee, a holy year the Church celebrates every quarter-century.
While numerous events are planned in Rome and at the Vatican to mark the Jubilee 2025, this Holy Year is for the whole Church.
Here are some ways to celebrate by journeying to Rome and also without traveling farther than your local cathedral:
1. Go to reconciliation.
The idea of a jubilee or holy year is rooted in the jubilees marked by the Israelites, who saw every 50th year as a special time for forgiveness and reconciliation with God and others. They would leave their fields fallow, replenishing the soil, allow those under slavery to regain their freedom, return land to its former owners, and forgive debts that could not be repaid.
Reconciliation and righting relationships also are at the heart of the Church’s holy years, making the sacrament of reconciliation a key component of this year.
In the papal bull announcing the year, Pope Francis called the sacrament of reconciliation “the essential starting-point of any true journey of conversion.”
During the Jubilee, in local churches “special care should be taken to prepare priests and the faithful to celebrate the sacrament of confession and to make it readily available in its individual form,” he said. Expect many dioceses to hold a period of round-the-clock confessions for the Lenten initiative 24 Hours for the Lord, which is set for March 28-29.
2. Read the jubilee document.
Issued in May, Spes Non Confundit is the papal bull of indiction Pope Francis promulgated for the 2025 Jubilee Year. With the Holy Year’s theme being “Pilgrims of Hope,” it includes a scriptural reflection on hope as well as an explanation of the meaning of a jubilee year; ideas and encouragement for Christians living out the Holy Year; appeals for accompaniment, mercy, and charity for various people in need; and some of the key events and anniversaries the Holy Year will observe.
Among Pope Francis’ words of wisdom is a reflection on patience, which he calls “both the daughter of hope and at the same time its firm foundation,” but which, he said, “has been put to flight by frenetic haste” in an age of “now.”
“Were we still able to contemplate creation with a sense of awe, we might better understand the importance of patience” that “could only prove beneficial for ourselves and for others,” he wrote. “Patience, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, sustains our hope and strengthens it as a virtue and a way of life,” the Holy Father wrote.
3. Make a pilgrimage. In Spes Non Confundit, Pope Francis counts among the Jubilee Year’s “pilgrims of hope” those “who, though unable to visit the City of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local churches.”
“Pilgrimage is of course a fundamental element of every Jubilee event,” he wrote. “Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort, and simplicity of life.”
While traditional pilgrimage routes to Rome and in Rome itself
Jubilee continued on page A8
through the doorway is a sign of the passage from sin to grace that every Christian is called to accomplish.
“To pass through that door means to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; it is to strengthen faith in Him in order to live the new life which He has given us. It is a decision which presumes freedom to choose and also the courage to leave something behind, in the knowledge that what is gained is divine life,” St. John Paul wrote.
Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Holy Year in 1300 and decreed that jubilees would be celebrated every 100 years. But just 50 years later, in a more biblical cadence, Pope Clement VI proclaimed another holy year.
Pope Paul II decided in 1470 that holy years should be held every 25 years, which has been the practice ever since. However, with the addition of special jubilees, like the Holy Year of Mercy in 2015-16, marking special occasions or needs can occur more
frequently.
The Jubilee of Mercy had a special focus on encouraging Catholics to return to confession, but the sacrament is a key part of every Holy Year.
Pope Francis, in his bull of indiction for the 2025 Holy Year, said Catholic churches are places “where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope, above all by approaching the sacrament of reconciliation, the essential starting point of any true journey of conversion.”
The pope also asked Catholics to use the Jubilee Year to nourish or exercise their hope by actively looking for signs of God's grace and goodness around them.
“We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence,” he wrote. “The signs of the times, which include the yearning of human hearts in need of God's saving presence, ought to become signs of hope.”
Even in a troubled world, one can notice how many people are praying for and demonstrating their desire for peace, for safeguarding creation, and for defending human life at every stage, he said. Those are signs of hope that cannot be discounted.
As part of the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis has announced the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis on April 27 during the special Jubilee for Adolescents and the proclamation of the sainthood of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati on Aug. 3 during the Jubilee for Young Adults.
The lives of the two men, active Catholics who died young, are emblematic of Pope Francis’ conviction that hope, “founded on faith and nurtured by charity,” is what
Jubilee preparations U.S. Cardinal James M. Harvey, archpriest of Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, presides over a Dec. 5 ceremony in preparation for opening the Holy Door of the basilica.
Pilgrims continued on page A10
Church of Divine Mercy turns 10
Vietnamese Catholic community celebrates a decade as diocesan parish
By Gabrielle Nolan
The Church of Divine Mercy, a Vietnamese parish within the Diocese of Knoxville, held a festive celebration on Oct. 13 to commemorate 10 years as a parish community.
Hundreds of parishioners attended the evening party, which included a feast of Vietnamese food and drinks, karaoke singing, a traditional lion dance, and fireworks.
Bishop Mark Beckman joined Father Dominic Nghia T.H. Nguyen, CRM, pastor of Divine Mercy Parish, for the celebration.
Leading the crowd in an opening prayer, Bishop Beckman thanked God for the gift of the parish community and asked for blessings upon them as they celebrated 10 years together.
“I think the beautiful thing here in Knoxville is that the Vietnamese community are able to celebrate together in their own parish community and to have the beautiful traditions that they do, to continue to celebrate in a way that speaks to them culturally and connects with them personally,” the bishop said. “I think that’s so beautiful and powerful. I love that.”
Bishop Beckman remarked that he is impressed that the Diocese of Knoxville is a “thriving, growing diocese.”
“Many of our parish communities are growing rapidly, and to have a Vietnamese community here in East Tennessee that’s so vibrant and active here in Knoxville, also in Chattanooga. So, we have the dynamism of newcomers to our community, which has made a positive impact,” he said.
As a guest of honor, Bishop Beckman was invited to light the fireworks at the front of the church building. He lit one side of a long ribbon, while Father Nguyen lit the other side.
are expected to be well traveled during the Holy Year, Catholics can also make pilgrimages to local holy sites, or even their own parishes, for prayer, confession, or Mass.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also provides special formularies and readings for a Mass for the Holy Year approved by the Holy See.
Many U.S. dioceses have designated particular parishes or holy sites to serve as pilgrimage sites during the Holy Year. These sites provide the opportunity for pilgrims to receive the Jubilee Indulgence, a grace that remits the temporal punishments of sin.
The plenary indulgence also can be received through pious visits to sacred places and through performing works of mercy. Details about the indulgence are outlined in a special decree Pope Francis issued on May 13.
4. Visit your cathedral.
Unlike the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy 2015-16, diocesan cathedrals will not designate Holy Doors to correspond with the traditional Holy Doors in Rome and at the Vatican.
However, cathedrals are where diocesan bishops will officially open the Holy Year locally with Mass on Dec. 29, the feast of the Holy Family. They also will be where bishops close local Holy Year celebrations on Dec. 28, 2025.
In the meantime, cathedrals are likely sites for diocesan Jubilee events. The Diocese of Grand Rapids, Mich., for example, is planning seven pilgrimages to its Cathedral of St. Andrew over the course of the Holy Year for different groups, such as youth, parents and grandparents, and the Vietnamese and Hispanic communities.
5. Pray the Jubilee prayer. Pope Francis has issued a special Jubilee prayer. At 139 words in English, the prayer is easily incorporated into the daily prayers of an individual or a family.
Among its stanzas is the phrase, “May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.” It can be found by searching “Jubilee Prayer” at usccb.org
6. Perform works of mercy.
In Spes Non Confundit, Pope Francis asks Catholics “to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.” He specifically mentions
As the fireworks popped and sparked, the lion dance began.
The traditional lion dance is used for significant holidays or grand events, and the lion represents festivity and fortune. Bishop Beckman and Father Nguyen fed red envelopes to the lion, which symbolized good luck and prosperity for the next year.
Father Nguyen, who was installed as pastor of Divine Mercy Parish on June 11, 2023, by Bishop Richard F. Stika, said that celebrating 10 years as a parish community was an “honor.”
“Thank God for that, for the love of God, for the love of the diocese, and the former bishop,” he said. “Especially that we have our own property, that we can celebrate our Vietnamese culture and our Vietnamese Mass and do everything according to our Vietnamese [culture]. That’s the most important thing. A lot of our generation and the older generation really love that. The young generation now only speaks English, but they will still come to the church, still do the activity with the church. It’s really important for us as Vietnamese. That’s why 10 years is a great honor.”
Steven Tran, who has been with the community since 2008, was the emcee for the evening.
Mr. Tran, a Vietnam native, moved to California in 1991 and relocated to Tennessee in 2008.
“When we just started, gathering in small numbers, we would do whatsoever it takes day in and day out every day, every week, … 16 years before the day when Bishop Stika allowed us to establish the parish,” he said. “We never believed we could have our own parish because in the whole nation, in the United States, not too many Vietnamese parishes [stand] by themselves. There are combinations
prisoners, a group he has highlighted by designating a Jubilee Holy Door at Rome’s Rebibbia Prison.
He also mentions signs of hope are needed by the sick, the young, migrants, the elderly and grandparents, and the poor. The Holy Year should inspire Catholics to increase their exercise of the corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead.
7. Review the resources.
The Vatican, the USCCB, and many dioceses have online resources with information about the Church’s global and local celebrations of the Jubilee.
They include information about the Jewish roots of jubilee years, their history in the Catholic Church, and how to spiritually prepare to receive the Jubilee Indulgence.
The Vatican website iubilaeum 2025.va includes a video of a choir performing “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Jubilee’s official hymn. With text written by Monsignor Pierangelo Sequeri, an Italian theologian and musicologist, the refrain focuses on the theme of hope: “Like a flame, my hope is burning; may my song arise to you: Source of life that has no ending, on life’s path I trust in you.”
8. Practice hope.
In Spes Non Confundit, Pope Francis underscores that the hope the Jubilee offers is for the universal Church. “In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring,” he wrote. Hope, he said, comes from Christ, and Christians deepen their hope through prayer, the sacraments, and growing in virtue. “For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ (cf. John 10:7.9) of our salvation, whom the Church is charged to proclaim always, everywhere, and to all as ‘our hope’ (1 Timothy 1:1),” he wrote.
9. Visit the Vatican.
Pilgrimages to Rome and Vatican City are already being planned, with many of them being led by Catholic clergy.
Dioceses around the world will be organizing trips to the Vatican during the Jubilee Year. Parishioners should watch for announcements
and flyers from tour operators affiliated with the Church.
The Diocese of Knoxville has a Jubilee 2025 website at dioknox.org
The direct link to the Jubilee Prayer is: https://www.usccb.org/ prayers/jubilee-prayer
A link to the Jubilee 2025 papal bull Spes Non Confundit can be found at https://www.vatican.va/ content/francesco/en/bulls/docu-
A link to Pope Francis’ May 13 decree on granting the Jubilee Indulgence can be found at https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/ pubblico/2024/05/13/240513f.html
Other USCCB resources can be found at https://www.usccb.org/ jubilee2025 ■
On this pilgrimage to the Shrines of Italy, it encompasses some of the holiest Catholic sites that Italy has to offer! In Rome, step into the four Major Basilicas, see the Square from St. Peter’s Basilica, and attend a Papal Audience with his successor, Pope Francis. In San Giovanni Rotondo, visit sites from the life of St. Padre Pio. Enjoy touring the beautiful hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Close out your pilgrimage visiting Pompeii and Naples.
GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)
Let the festivities begin Above: Bishop Mark Beckman and Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM, light the fuses for fireworks. Below: The lion dance is performed at the Church of Divine Mercy on Oct. 13.
Divine Mercy continued on page A16
Jubilee continued from page A7
Revolutionary thankfulness
St.
By Bill Brewer
St. Joseph Church served as host of the Norris Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 24 and welcomed members of Catholic and Protestant faiths to share in the Gospels, a Christian message, and fellowship as the faithful in Anderson County and around the country prepared to give thanks for all that God has provided.
Deacon Dan Hosford, who serves at St. Joseph, was the master of ceremonies and introduced three members of clergy from the Norris community who took part in the ecumenical service. Father Dennis Kress, who shepherds St. Joseph and St. Therese Parish in Clinton, was the host pastor but couldn’t attend as he was on medical leave.
Joining Deacon Hosford were Rev. Brandon Berg of Norris United Methodist Church, Rev. Amanda Lippe of St. Francis Episcopal Church, and Dr. Bill Ireland of Nor-
Diversity of faith Deacon Dan Hosford, who serves at St. Joseph Parish in Norris, leads the Norris Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at St. Joseph Church on Nov. 24. Also taking part in the multi-denominational service are Rev. Brandon Berg of Norris United Methodist Church, Rev. Amanda Lippe of St. Francis Episcopal Church, and Dr. Bill Ireland of Norris Religious Fellowship.
ris Religious Fellowship.
Collections from the offering went to the Norris Good Neighbors program. The organization, which
provides food, clothing, and toys for families in need for Christmas, comprises representatives of Norris-area churches.
Deacon Hosford said the annual service that rotates among churches in Norris is a special time when the faith communities in the town can join together in thanksgiving to God. And he noted that his fellow members of the Norris clergy enjoy fellowship several times a year.
“We sometimes get together and share a meal and good stories, but mostly it’s about how thankful we are for the people of Norris, for the people of this community, and how wonderful you have treated each of us and each other, and how the community has grown in fellowship,” Deacon Hosford said.
“And we really appreciate all that you do for us. We pray this evening that we are of service to you as well,” he added just before the multi-denomination congregation sang the opening hymn, “We Gather Together.”
The four presiding members of clergy agreed that getting together
Thankful continued on page A15
Mecklenborg to lead diocesan communications
The East Tennessee Catholic
Bishop Mark Beckman has named John Mecklenborg the director of communications for the Diocese of Knoxville.
Mr. Mecklenborg’s appointment was effective Nov. 4.
Mr. Mecklenborg has been a resident of Knoxville since graduating from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with a degree in journalism-broadcasting.
He and wife Tabitha are the parents of four children: Rose, who is a third-grader at Sacred Heart Cathedral School; and Bonnie, Thomas, and Mary June, who attend Sacred Heart preschool.
The family attends the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus, and Mrs. Mecklenborg works at Sacred Heart Cathedral School.
Mr. Mecklenborg joins the diocese with more than 18 years of media and communications experience, working extensively in digital media and television production and editing.
Mr. Mecklenborg is a native of Cincinnati. His parents now live in Nashville.
After graduating from UT in 2005, h e remained in Knoxville, where he has worked with video production fi rms, including Jupiter Entertainment.
Mr. Mecklenborg said he looks forward to sharing the good, faith-based works happening in
Communications continued on page A20
Welcome to the Chancery John Mecklenborg has joined the Diocese of Knoxville as communications director.
‘ Long live Notre Dame de Paris ’
Jubilation abounds as iconic Catholic cathedral reopens following 2019 fire
By Caroline de Sury OSV News
The solemn reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral put Paris in the center of the Catholic world on the evening of Dec. 7 as the archbishop of France’s capital struck the magnificent door with his pastoral staff, marking the moment of the iconic Catholic church’s rebirth.
The Gothic masterpiece answered with music as Archbishop Laurent Ulrich struck the cathedral’s doors three times with the moment the door opened causing millions to hold their breath as the cathedral started breathing anew.
“Today, sadness and mourning have given way to joy, celebration, and praise,” Pope Francis wrote to the archbishop of Paris a message read in Notre Dame by the papal ambassador to France, Archbishop Celestino Migliore.
“May the rebirth of this admirable church be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France,” the pope said in his Dec. 7 message.
The reopening marks the “rebirth of France as the eldest daughter of the Church,” one Catholic witnessing the ceremony noted.
The city saw exceptional security services deployed for the Notre Dame celebration, mobilizing 6,000 police and gendarmes, as well as bomb disposal units, snipers, and the river brigade on the Seine River. These in turn were further reinforced by the U.S. security contingent deployed for President-elect Donald Trump’s visit as well as the security for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Both leaders were in Paris for the celebration and met in the Elysee Palace with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Bad weather forced a change of logistical plans. President Macron, initially scheduled to speak on Notre Dame’s forecourt, spoke inside the cathedral due to howling winds. But nothing could overshadow the moment Parisians and tout le monde entier , the whole world, awaited for the last five years, since the inferno of April 15, 2019, that devastated the cathedral’s interior and collapsed the now-rebuilt spire.
“I stand before you to express the gratitude of the French nation, our gratitude to all those who saved, helped, and rebuilt the cathedral,” President Macron said, adding that France had “achieved the impossible,” renovating Notre Dame in five years a feat some experts predicted would take decades.
“Tonight, we can together share joy and pride. Long live Notre Dame de Paris, long live the Republic, and long live France,” he said.
Knock three times Above: Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris inaugurates the celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris by knocking on the doors with his pastoral staff, or crosier, in Paris on Dec. 7. Below: Archbishop Ulrich consecrates the host surrounded by clergy members, including Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York and Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, after the consecration of the altar during the inaugural Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Dec. 8.
The cathedral, which for the last five years was home to hundreds of various trade workers, felt as if all the crowned heads and richest of the planet wanted to witness her resurrection, with Prince William, the heir to the British throne, and billionaire businessman Elon Musk present among many. But it was Archbishop Ulrich who opened the cathedral up for the world.
Pilgrims continued from page A7
“Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to gather in joy the scattered children of God,”
enables people “to press forward in life” despite setbacks and trials
Both young Italians knew that the hope they drew from faith had to be shared with others through their words, their way of acting, and their charity.
Pope Francis, in the bull of indiction, told Catholics that “during the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.”
In addition to individual acts of charity, love, and kindness like feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, or visiting the sick and the imprisoned, Pope Francis has continued his predecessors’ practice of observing the jubilee
Archbishop Ulrich called out in front of the central door, before striking it three times with the tip of his crosier. The pastoral staff
by calling on governments to reduce the foreign debt of the poorest countries, grant amnesty to certain prisoners, and strengthen programs to help migrants and refugees settle in their new homes.
Italy and the city of Rome are keeping one of the messier and tension-producing traditions of a Holy Year: roadworks and the restoration or cleaning of monuments, fountains, and important buildings
With the opening of the Holy Door drawing near, none of the major projects had been completed as of Dec. 4, but Mayor Roberto Gualtieri promised in late November that most of the roads would open, and most of the scaffolding would come down by Jan. 1
Archbishop Fisichella, the chief Vatican organ-
itself was made from a beam from the cathedral’s roof structure that escaped the fire.
The cathedral then “responded” with the singing of Psalm 121 three times.
“I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’ And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about,” the psalm reads.
It was pitch-dark when the bells of Parisian churches rang out across the capital, announcing the arrival on Notre Dame’s forecourt of the liturgical procession of bishops from the Paris region, their chasubles billowing in the wind with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York among them.
The archbishop of Paris then entered the cathedral, followed by President Macron, his wife, Brigitte Macron, the first lady of France, and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo. At the entrance, the archbishop paused for a long moment as La Maîtrise Notre Dame de Paris choir sang the Marian hymn and President Macron took his place next to President-elect Trump.
Firefighters, craftsmen, and representatives of the 250 companies and sponsors involved in the restoration then paraded through the nave of the cathedral to prolonged applause. Outside, illuminated “Thank you” messages in several languages appeared at the same time on the facade of the cathedral.
“I salute all those, especially the firefighters, who worked so courageously to save this historic monument from catastrophe,” Pope Francis wrote in his message, which was released as he was at the Vatican for the consistory in which he created 21 new cardinals.
“I salute the determined commitment of the public authorities, as well as the great outpouring of international generosity that contributed to the restoration. This moment is a sign not only to art and history, but even more and how encouraging! the sign that the symbolic and sacred value of such a building is still widely perceived by many, from those youngest to those oldest,” the pope said.
“We return it to Catholics, to Paris, to France, to the whole world,” President Macron said of Notre Dame, which is a stateowned building under French law on the separation of state and church from 1905. He evoked the sound of the cathedral’s bells ringing again, like “a music of hope, familiar to Parisians, to France, to the world,” which have “accompanied our history.”
He spoke of “an unprecedented fraternity” that has “brought together so many people who have contributed to its rebirth.”
“Transmission and hope, that is the meaning of our presence this evening,” he stressed.
Pope Francis also praised those whose work of hands made the cathedral rise again so quickly.
“It is beautiful and reassuring that the skills of yesteryear have been wisely preserved and en -
izer of the Jubilee Year, said in late November that the Vatican had commissioned a university to forecast the Holy Year pilgrim and tourist influx. They came up with a prediction of 32 million visitors to Rome.
The multilingual jubilee website www. iubilaeum2025.va has been up and running for months and includes the possibility of reserving a time to pass through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s and the other major basilicas of Rome
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also has a special section on its website www. usccb.org/committees/jubilee-2025 with information about traveling to Rome for the Holy Year and for celebrating the special jubilees in one’s own diocese or parish ■
Celebrating Mass again Above: People attend a Mass open to the public at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Dec. 8. The Mass was celebrated five and a half years after a fire ravaged the Gothic masterpiece. Below: Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presides over the inaugural Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral.
Notre Dame continued on page A17
TWO KIDS, TWO STORIES
She’s taking four APs and three Honors classes She’d tackle four if Theology students were grouped that way
She’s a founding member of the school’s new Campus Ministry team, the Student Ambassador you d trust to give a tour to the Pope and a member in every Honor Society for which she s eligible Down the road, she s dreaming of orthopedic surgery but might still veer toward anesthesiology
She’s pretty impressive given her family lives in stress 24-7 her resources are few and her daily wear came from the Used Uniform closet in the back hall
He’s not that way at all School’s a struggle for him, partly because of background, partly because he makes it that way The boy never gets in trouble but attention span has never been his strong suit – by both choice and biology
Remarkable in neither athletics nor the arts, still he would give his parents’ house away if he thought his best friend needed it He wants nothing more than to go to college but worries he won’t be up to the challenge Dreams are plentiful but he hasn’t yet turned them into goals
His days are long He’s the first kid on campus in the morning and the last to leave at day s end because Dad needs their only car But it works most of the time
You just have to love them both, don t you?! Kids who are oh so different walking in the same hallways it’s been that way for generations
But will it always be that way?
The girl I mention is not fictional neither is the young man Though we didn’t have AP classes in my era, I knew kids just like them Didn’t we all?
Students with different strengths from different neighborhoods, with different faiths, bound for different futures
What WAS different back then though was that none of their families needed to have all that much money to go there Catholic schools were cheap, virtually free in today’s dollars
Thank God! My single parent mom was a saint but she could never have managed it on her own My sisters and I still give thanks for what we now understand was the “living endowment provided by the priests and sisters who taught in our schools Maybe that was your school too
We still try to make it affordable for the many – though that takes different shapes and is so much more challenging than it used to be The religious have declined The need? Well, it has gone the other way
In our diocese, we are blessed with the opportunity to support the Catholic Education Trust Fund which helps support Tuition Assistance for families in need who wish to attend one of our ten Catholic schools
Gifts to this Fund are critical to taking them higher and further than they thought they could go To ready them for a world they can’t imagine And prepare them for an eternity with their Maker He did, after all, come for all!
On behalf of all of them – students and parents faculty and staff – I’m not hesitant but actually proud to ask you to join in To ask you to prayerfully consider if your year-end giving might include this fund these young people and the enormous task their teachers face in this ever-crazier world
Thank you! And may the blessings of this Christmas Season surround you and your family!
George Valadie Catholic Schools Office
Designed to provide crucial support to the ministry of Catholic education and the Diocesan Catholic schools, as well as the formation of faith to all who desire to grow in their Catholic identity
Your support matters to the growth of our community in East Tennessee!
Please consider a Year-end gift to the Catholic education trust fund to further our mission of evangelization!
Responding to the need Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport hosted the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic on Oct. 23. In addition to serving patients, clinic volunteers also helped with distribution from the parish food pantry.
incurred.
Martin Vargas, executive director of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, noted that more than 60 volunteers arrived to help in Erwin.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Mr. Vargas said. “We are here at the request of Father (Tom Charters, GHM). Father said, what can you do to help? Catholic Charities had asked us, what can you do to help? And this is the Catholic response to the need of the people of Erwin who were devastated by the hurricane and the subsequent flooding that came through the area.”
Mr. Vargas said it was a “natural response” for the clinic to come to the hurricane-affected areas since its staff includes many health-care providers.
When strong remnants from Hurricane Helene blew from the Gulf Coast of Florida through Georgia and into the Carolinas Sept. 26-27, the storm dumped record amounts of rainfall in a short amount of time in the mountains of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. That record rainfall turned rivers, streams, creeks, and any tributaries into swollen, raging walls of water that destroyed everything in their path, including roads, bridges, houses, and businesses.
Eighteen people died in the flooding in Tennessee, and interstates 40 and 26 that connect Tennessee and North Carolina were shut down when the Pigeon and Nolichucky rivers washed away a bridge and part of the roadway. I-26 between Erwin and Asheville, N.C., has since reopened, but I-40 between Newport and Asheville remains closed.
The rapidly rising Nolichucky River in Erwin washed away businesses and homes, and even flooded Unicoi County Hospital, where patients had to be airlifted from the hospital roof. Heartbreaking stories of loss and harrowing stories of survival emerged in the hours following the flooding.
Erwin
Several partners assisted the mobile clinic in Erwin. Blackberry Farm donated 200 lunches for volunteers and patients; AmeriCares was present with its disaster-relief team; East Tennessee State University assisted with the on-site pharmacy; and a community of volunteers, including students from the University of Tennessee, were present to unload and sort donations, assist patients, and set up and tear down the clinic site.
“The response has been tremendous,” Mr. Vargas remarked. “We have kept filling up our offices and warehouse with donated supplies from individuals who just came forward. A member of our team, Sarah Grimes, came up with the idea of an Amazon wish list, and the packages just kept coming and coming and coming. We assembled those into care packages for the community to get their most basic needs.”
Monetary aid, such as donations from the Smith Foundation and an emergency grant from AmeriCares, also has assisted the clinic in its efforts.
Ms. Grimes, a clinical nurse manager, noted that St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic treated 23 patients in Erwin.
“Many were without power and water,” she said. “Water seemed to be the most needed item as they were under a boil advisory.”
Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, medical director of the legacy
clinic, said that one patient who endured the flooding was “holding onto a pipe for hours to keep from being pulled into the fast-flowing water.”
“She now is dealing with significant shoulder pain from that time as well as the trauma of that experience,” Sister Mary Lisa shared. “Another patient came with anxiety, as she has been translating for the Red Cross and other groups to let family members know that their loved ones have been found deceased or that they were still missing. Our team was able to offer her comfort and support, and in our follow-up calls we have been able to connect her to free counseling.”
Mountain City
After the clinic was successfully running in Erwin, three vehicles of volunteers made the hourlong drive to St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Mountain City, where the clinic served 18 patients.
Father Jesús Guerrero, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua as well as St. Elizabeth in Elizabethton, requested that the clinic come to Mountain City because some of his parishioners were starting to become ill.
“In Mountain City, several families are living in an apartment complex that was flooded, so they now are developing respiratory illness from living in the damp environment,” Sister Mary Lisa said. “They want to stay in the area to keep their jobs, but there are little housing options available for them there.”
Father Guerrero shared that many locals were affected either by the floodwaters or the high winds from the hurricane’s inland storms.
“Those who were affected by water, the flooded houses, those people don’t have anywhere to go,” he said. “And so, they are there dealing with humidity, dealing with mold, and so they lost pretty much
everything. They lost furniture, appliances, clothing, personal documents, and now they’re dealing with sickness, illnesses related to the mold. All sorts of other homes were affected by the wind, fallen trees just all over the place, including my home.”
Deacon Joe Herman, who serves at St. Anthony of Padua, said Sister Mary Lisa “put things in motion rather quickly” to schedule the clinic to visit St. Anthony Parish.
“We’re just so thankful that they came up here because I think they also have a team over in Erwin today, and the fact that they were able to gather enough volunteers and enough staff to come up here, it’s very touching. That’s not doing it enough justice, but we’re very grateful for Sister Mary Lisa and the Legacy Clinic and all that they’re doing today,” Deacon Herman said.
The Johnson County parish runs a food pantry called St. Anthony Bread (SAB), and as the largest pantry in Johnson County, it serves around 400 families.
“We’re well-known within the community,” Father Guerrero remarked. “People have been coming here seeking aid. It felt just natural for them to seek aid here. There is an army of volunteers, not only from our own local parish but from the community. So, they’ve been getting together and opening the SAB pretty much every other day to serve the community and to distribute food and other goodies that Catholic Charities and other organizations are giving to us.”
On a spiritual level, the parish never stopped having Masses after the storms.
“That first weekend when we had the storm, we didn’t have electricity or running water, but we did not cancel the Masses. We have two Sunday Masses, so the Masses
were celebrated as normal. We had lower attendance. However, many people were here. We’ve been hosting Holy Hours to pray for those in need, even to pray for those who lost their lives and their families. And so, as small as we are as a community, we’re doing what’s in our hands to help out, either providing food and even more than food, clothing and everything that is provided for us to the community, and also prayers,” Father Guerrero said.
Deacon Herman said “one thing that we can never get enough of is prayer.”
“We just ask for a lot of prayer. And I’m sure the needs will probably change as things go on. I know right now a lot of people need the cleaning supplies, which I think we’ve got a pretty good stock of. But people are starting to clean up from the debris and the mess and what have you,” he noted.
Deacon Herman, who grew up in Mountain City and knows the community well, said he has noticed an increase in Mass attendance since the storms.
“I think people are coming to God, coming to the Church looking for that comfort and that spirituality,” he shared.
Sadie Thompson, a registered nurse and clinical instructor in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee, volunteered for the first time with the mobile medical clinic.
“I have seen the devastation and felt drawn to help my neighbors,” she said. “As a nurse, I care deeply for people and feel they should have access to care regardless of their situation. I love community service and seeing a community come together to support one another.”
“It was such an amazing experience,” Ms. Thompson continued. “The staff at the SMLC is so amazing, and you can really feel the love of God radiating from the volunteers. I felt so privileged to be able to care for the patients in the community.”
She remarked that what stood out most to her during the clinic’s operation in upper East Tennessee was the patients caring for one another.
“We had trouble communicating and didn't have enough interpreters to help everyone at once. After several patients had been seen, they offered to stay and help other patients by interpreting. It was truly moving to see these people who have nothing and need to have medical care put others first and help us communicate with the patients who did not speak English. The patients were all so kind and had such a positive attitude considering the grief and trauma they have endured,” Ms. Thompson said.
Volunteering with the mobile clinic brought Ms. Thompson closer to her Knoxville community acquaintances.
“I saw people from my church, small groups, the hospital where I work, and from UT-K College of Nursing, both students and faculty. It was really inspiring seeing so many people from different parts of my life coming together and helping other people,” she shared.
Laine Hanson, a junior nursing student at the University of Tennessee, also volunteered with the clinic for the first time.
“I’ve been looking for ways to
COURTESY OF MARTIN
Lending a helping hand Martin Vargas, executive director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, is with volunteers for Catholic Charities USA from California in assisting with lodging assistance for those impacted by Hurricane Helene flooding.
Walking with Jesus Above: Yvonne Gebo, a parishioner of Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport, is handing out goodie bags for children at the church's food pantry. Below: A St. Mary's Legacy Clinic volunteer assists a clinic patient with a child in the parish hall of Church of the Good Shepherd, where the clinic was present for victims of flooding from Hurricane Helene.
GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)
Response continued from page A1
‘ Connection, collaboration, and hope ’
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic hosts first-ever health resource fair, food distribution
By Gabrielle Nolan
More than 100 patrons received health information and a box of food at St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic’s first-ever Health Resource Fair and Food Distribution event, which took place on Nov. 15 at the Senior Citizens Center in Oneida.
The mobile medical clinic, which provides free health care to the medically uninsured in East Tennessee, had a goal of reaching residents in Scott County, which includes the communities of Oneida, Helenwood, and Huntsville.
“The experience was wonderful,” said Rebecca Pipkins, communityoutreach coordinator for the clinic. “I was nervous that we would get the resources in the room but that the community wouldn’t come. This was the best time to be wrong. The community showed up in droves, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
For over two years, St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has been serving the Scott County community with once-a-month visits from the mobile clinic.
“Despite the evident need in the area, we saw that the community was not utilizing our services as we had hoped. This led us to reflect on how we could better connect with the people we aim to serve and build trust within the community,”
Donations continued from page A1
Ms. Pipkins said. An idea was born: a health resource fair and food distribution day.
“During our time in Scott County, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated local leaders who are deeply passionate about their community. Through these relationships, we discovered the wealth of resources available in Scott County. However, we also realized that many residents didn’t know of these resources or of our clinic’s presence,” Ms. Pipkins remarked. “In two short months, this vision became a reality. We were able to connect the people of Scott County with the resources and support available in their own community.”
Nearly 20 organizations participated in the fair, including the Scott County Health Department, Big South Fork Medical, the Family Justice Center, Helenwood Pregnancy Center, Quality Home Health, and more. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee provided the food boxes.
“When I pulled up to the Senior Citizens Center at 9 a.m., two hours before the event started, and saw a line of about 20 people outside waiting, I felt this overwhelming feeling of gratitude that we get this wonderful opportunity to connect with people today,” Ms. Pipkins shared. “It took us a full hour
grant from the Catholic Extension Society, $1,500 from Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of the Archdiocese of Louisville, and $20,344 from St. Catherine Parish in Columbia, Tenn., in the Diocese of Nashville.
Bishop Mark Beckman expressed gratitude for the many people who came forward to aid in the disaster-relief effort by donating sup -
to get the initial line through the door; we had to let people in five at a time so as not to overwhelm the space and vendors. And despite waiting in the cold, the people in line were so nice, gracious, and kind. They seemed so thankful for this opportunity to learn about resources that are at their disposal; we even signed up three new patients!”
“It was a day of connection, collaboration, and hope, reflecting the power of trust and partnership to
plies, assisting in serving all those impacted by the floods, and giving money to purchase much-needed food, housing, and personal supplies.
“It is so moving to witness the generosity of our people in reaching out to the needs of those affected by remnants of Hurricane Helene. The goodness of our people reflects their abiding love and faith, ” Bishop Beckman said.
11. Several university students volunteered for the first time with the clinic for disaster-relief efforts.
Response continued from page A12
help out with hurricane relief,” she said. “It’s been really cool. I feel like it’s been a great way to help out in ways I can.”
“I feel like we got really lucky that Knoxville didn’t get very much harm at all, and it’s been really devastating to see as much as has happened to everyone around here. So, to be able to help at all, especially when I don’t have anything going on, like instead of sitting there in my room doing nothing I can help and be of assistance in some way, and that has been really cool to be able to do,” Ms. Hanson added.
Newport
On Oct. 23, the clinic served patients at Church of the Good Shepherd in Newport.
Mr. Vargas noted that the urgent clinic trips to Erwin, Mountain City, and Newport were factored into the already busy clinic schedule, where St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic regularly visits 10 sites around East Tennessee each month.
“It’s the least we can do to add in these clinics to our normal schedule,” he said. “It’s very important that we maintain our normal schedule to ensure the trust in the communities that we serve. … They rely on us for care, and we are happy to meet that. So, on days, the few days that we don’t go into the field to serve those needs, we have scheduled these clinics so we can do both.”
Scott Mulligan, the ministries coordinator at Church of the Good Shepherd, contacted the medical clinic about visiting Newport.
make a meaningful difference,” she added.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has been serving the Scott County area since 2022.
The clinic has been serving in conjunction with St. Jude Parish in Helenwood and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, which operates one of its six Pregnancy Help Centers on the St. Jude campus.
For more information on the clinic and its 10 site locations, visit smlcares.com ■
In addition to the many people who generously donated funds, Bishop Beckman also is thankful for the organizations that urgently responded to the flood victims, including Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, Catholic Charities USA, St. Mary s Legacy Clinic, parishes and parish priests, deacons, Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul groups, and Catholic Extension Society. ■
“I reached out to St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic when we started doing the food pantry because people were coming in with needs of chronic illness. Do you have heart medication, how can I get my medications, how can I get my diabetes stuff? So, I reached out through Catholic Charities to St. Mary’s because Catholic Charities helped us with our food pantry,” Mr. Mulligan shared.
In response to the storms, Mr. Mulligan said the community response at the parish has been “amazing.”
“We’ve had parishioners come and volunteer their time and their talents and their treasures,” he said. “We’ve had parishioners from Holy Trinity (Jefferson City) coming; we’ve had people from different St. Vincent de Paul conferences within the diocese come and help. We’ve had people just showing up bringing supplies and food and clothing. Every time we turn around a truck has been pulling up to our door saying, ‘Hey, can you take this?’”
Mr. Mulligan noted that people from all over the country have donated, ranging from Indiana and Kentucky to Iowa and Florida.
“We had a little lady from Memphis who called and said, ‘I want to do something,’ and she Amazon-ed an order to us. She had an Amazon order dropped, which was really kind of cool. We had a little family from outside of Chicago, the father and grandfather came down, but the little girls made these gift bags for all of our children that were affected. They had little coloring books and crayons, and then each one had a personal note. It was so great to see this,”
he said. “For a tragedy, it’s been really neat to see all these different people from all over the country, Catholics, non-Catholics, all have come together and just supported our community.”
The parish also is giving away donations to communities in need, such as Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
Mr. Mulligan said that additional services to their parish have included the St. Vincent de Paul disaster corps, which helped locals with their FEMA work, and Catholic Charities USA, which sent housing specialists for those who had housing damage.
The parish also was affected by the death of two parishioners who drowned in their home during the flooding when the Pigeon River overflowed its banks.
Deacon Otto Preske, who is retired but assists at the parish, knew the couple who died and is assisting their daughter, who survived the flood
“They were friends; I knew them from many years ago,” Deacon Preske shared. “But their house was completely ruined, it was really under water a lot. [The daughter] is really having big-time problems over it, and I’ve been helping her the best I can.”
He noted that the daughter was given a small grant to help pay for her parents’ funeral costs. While downtown Newport was hard hit, Deacon Preske said the parish was fortunate that it did not receive any damage.
For more information on St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, visit smlcares.com and ccetn.org ■
Community care Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, who serves as medical director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, provides medical care to a patient on Nov. 15 at the SMLC Health Resource Fair and Food Distribution event in Oneida.
It takes a volunteer Student volunteers with the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic assist with the pharmacy table inside St. Anthony of Padua Church in Mountain City on Oct.
Student assistance Laine Hanson, a junior nursing student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, takes a blood-pressure reading from a patient receiving care from the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Mountain City.
catch,” the bishop pointed out. He emphasized to the deacons that without God, His people may very well come up empty. But with Jesus, miracles happen and there is abundance “beyond any imagining.”
That lets His people know they are in the presence of the Holy One.
Bishop Beckman shared with his fellow deacons that he connected more to the prophet Jeremiah when the bishop was young.
“I remember thinking, Lord, I am too young for this when I felt His call. I was not as eager as Isaiah at the end, saying, ‘Here am I. Send me,’” Bishop Beckman acknowledged. “And yet all of you have experienced the call of the Lord or you would not be here tonight.”
Their answer to the Lord is the “ground game” of their vocation,” Bishop Beckman noted.
“Never forget the call of God. And the call progresses over time. It gets deeper and richer when we continue to say yes,” he shared.
Bishop Beckman told the deacons that during his time traveling around the Diocese of Knoxville, it is obvious to him that there are deacons everywhere doing great work.
He pointed to a number of deacons who jumped into action to serve flood victims and their East Tennessee communities following Hurricane Helene.
“Diaconal ministry is clearly present. To be deacon is to be servant, like Jesus is servant. It is to be conformed to the beautiful ministry of Jesus Himself. What a beautiful gift you are to God’s people. Thank you, all of you, for your yeses. And I’m including the wives who support their husbands in this most important ministry and the children who enrich the lives of the Church. Thank you. Onward to the deeper water,” Bishop Beckman concluded.
The bishop then called the deacon aspirants forward to declare their intentions before the Church. Deacon Jim Bello, director of the diaconate and deacon formation for the Diocese of Knoxville, called each candidate by name.
The aspirants who responded “present” when called were Mark Calvert of St. John Neumann Parish, Antonio Da Silva of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mark Dye of St. Thomas the Apostle, Brendan Foley of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, John Gensheimer of the cathedral parish, Rigoberto Gonzales of Holy Cross, Paul Heuton of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Hugo Linares of All Saints, James MacDougall of St. Dominic, Conor Martin of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, David Morais of St. Stephen, Pedro Palacios of St. Mary in Oak Ridge, Alejandro Samano of All Saints, and David Quinn of St. Francis of Assisi in Townsend.
The bishop then performed the Rite of Admission, saying:
“Dear sons, the pastors and teachers charged with your formation and those who affirm that they know you have given a good report of you, which we fully trust. In response to the Lord’s call, do you resolve to complete your preparation so that in due course you are made ready to undertake ministry in the Church through holy orders?
“Do you resolve to form your mind and heart in such a way that you will be able faithfully to serve Christ the Lord and His body, the Church?”
Each aspirant responded by saying, “I do.”
“The Church receives your resolve with joy. May God, who has begun the good work in you, bring it to fulfillment,” the bishop declared.
At that point, the aspirants became diaconal candidates and were given an ovation by the congregation.
Deacon Bello then asked the permanent deacons to stand, at which time Bishop Beckman led them in renewing their ordination
Pledging allegiance Above: Permanent deacons in the Diocese of Knoxville renew their ordination during a Mass for the diaconate on Oct. 3 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. During the Mass, diaconal aspirants were advanced to candidates, a key step toward ordination. Below: Members of the permanent diaconate and newly designated diaconal candidates gather for a photo with Bishop Mark Beckman.
promises.
" A lot of times they see us in our vestments at the altar, and they think liturgy is what we do. But that’s only a small piece. It’s a very significant piece. Our deacons are chaplains for police departments and sheriff's offices and in hospitals. They serve in nursing homes and food banks. A lot of our deacons serve those who are in prison. They are heavily involved in prison ministry. That’s what a deacon should be ."
Deacon Jim Bello Diaconate and Deacon Formation director for the Diocese of Knoxville
“Brothers, do you resolve to remain consecrated for the ministry of the Church you received through the laying on of hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit?
“Do you resolve to continue to discharge with humble charity the office of the diaconate so as to assist the priestly order and to benefit the Christian people?
“Do you resolve to continue to hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, as the Apostle says, and to proclaim the faith by word and deed according to the Gospel and the Church’s tradition?
“Do you resolve to continue to guard and increase the spirit of prayer proper to your way of life and in keeping with this spirit and the circumstances of your life to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours with and for the people of God and indeed for the whole world?
“Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
“Do you resolve to continue to conform your manner of life always to the example of Christ, whose body and blood you will handle at the altar?”
The permanent deacons responded to each question with “I do,” except the final question, in which they responded, “I do with the help of God.”
In prayer, Bishop Beckman then said, “Hear our petitions, O Lord, and in Your kindness be pleased to bless these, your sons, who desire to devote themselves in the sacred ministry to your service and to the service of your people so that they may persevere in their vocation and clinging to Christ, the priest, with sincere charity, and be able to take up apostolic office worthily through Christ Our Lord.”
Following the Mass, a reception was given for the deacons and their wives in the cathedral parish hall.
After Mass, Bishop Beckman expressed how pleased he was to
Just as consequential and impactful is the renewal of ordination promises by the permanent deacons, an oath that is sacrosanct to these men called to holy orders.
“Our vows are precious to all of us. And we try to live our diaconal ministry. That means living a life of humility, of simplicity, of serving the poor, of serving the widows and orphans, and of serving the needs of our parishes. We are called to be a bridge between the altar and the community and welcome people to walk over us to the altar, so to speak,” Deacon Bello said.
He explained that in pledging their obedience to the bishop, deacons are allowed to refer to the bishop as father.
“There is a very unique relationship between a bishop and his deacons. It’s a very personal and intimate relationship. To actually pledge that obedience to him again is reassurance that he is our spiritual leader, he is our father, and we are here to follow him and listen and learn and do what he asks us to do. This refreshes our souls; it refreshes our diaconal ministry,” Deacon Bello shared.
Deacon Humberto Collazo, a permanent deacon serving at St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, attended the Mass and took part in the renewal of ordination promises.
Deacon Collazo, who was ordained in June 2022, continues to grow in the ministry.
“This is a special renewal. This is year two. I’m finally understanding what a deacon needs to do in addition to what the book says. It has special meaning to me as I find out what the call is. I hear those promises, and it gets to my heart. These promises are strength and fire,” Deacon Collazo said.
Now, two years a deacon, he said his faith is growing by leaps and bounds, and his energy for serving God, His Church, and the faithful in East Tennessee is strong and endless.
lead such an uplifting celebration, where he could recognize the diocese’s deacons and the ministry they perform every day.
“This is a great inspiration. We have the best deacons in the world here in the Diocese of Knoxville. I am a little biased but watching their ministry all over the diocese on the ground, both in their parishes and in the Chancery, they really do give meaning to the word diaconus , or servant,” the bishop said. “They are really rich in the works of charity and in love, which is at the heart of diaconal ministry.”
Deacon Bello said he believes it was the first time in the diocese where in a single Mass the permanent deacons renewed their ordination promises and deacon aspirants were administered the Rite of Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders.
“They were aspirants when they walked into Mass, and they were candidates when they walked out of Mass,” Deacon Bello said. “This was a first where you actually have the deacons and those that they are mentoring and will be mentoring over the course of their diaconal ministry all together for rites in the same place at the same time with our father, the bishop.”
Deacon Bello said the candidates were ecstatic at sharing the Mass with their permanent brothers who have completed much of the diaconal journey.
He said the current class began discerning a call to the diaconate in January 2022, and they then completed a six-month inquiry period. They were then approved into the diaconate as aspirants by the bishop.
In 2025, they will be installed as lectors. In 2026, they will be installed as acolytes, and they will be vested in albs. In 2027, they will be ordained as deacons.
“They still have quite a journey to go, but, God willing, in June 2027 we will have 14 new deacons for the diocese,” Deacon Bello explained.
“God knows what He is doing and what He puts in front of you. He’ll open the door, and you just walk through it. I am so happy that I answered the call,” he shared.
Deacon Vargas has been in the permanent diaconate for more than a decade, and he describes the ministry as “very fulfilling.”
He noted that as he watched the aspirants become candidates during the Mass, he couldn’t help but recall his own journey to becoming a deacon and being ordained.
“Even now, as I stand at the altar, I still can’t believe I’m there serving the Lord. It’s really joyful for me,” he said, adding that he hopes that he and his brother deacons will inspire other men to join the diaconate through their ministry.
Deacon Vargas is grateful to Bishop Beckman for recognizing and celebrating the ministry of deacons. He said the bishop’s uplifting words are inspiring and serve as fuel for their vocations.
According to the director of the diocesan diaconate, the renewal of ordination promises prompts each permanent deacon to recall his own ordination, kneeling before the bishop and lying prostrate before the altar, where there is grace and mercy.
“It’s more than a ritual. It’s something very special to the deacons; it’s very personal,” said Deacon Bello, who was ordained a deacon in June 2022.
Deacon Bello pointed out that the faithful most often associate deacons with serving at Sunday Masses wearing their vestments. But that is only a fraction of their ministry
“A lot of times they see us in our vestments at the altar, and they think liturgy is what we do. But that’s only a small piece. It’s a very significant piece. Our deacons are chaplains for police departments and sheriff’s offices and in hospitals. They serve in nursing homes and food banks. A lot of our deacons serve those who are in prison. They are heavily involved in prison ministry. That’s what a deacon should be,” he said. ■
Bishop Beckman reconstitutes diocesan councils
The East Tennessee Catholic
Bishop Mark Beckman has issued two announcements regarding the governance of the Diocese of
Bishop Beckman has reconstituted the diocese’s Presbyteral Council and has appointed members of the diocesan College of Consultors.
In a decree he issued on Oct. 2, Bishop Beckman said that bylaws that were amended on June 22, 2023, will remain in place and that officers and members of the Pres-
byteral Council will be the same as those elected to the Presbyteral Council Pro Tempore when the see was vacant from June 27, 2023, when Bishop Richard F. Stika retired, to July 26, when Bishop Beckman was ordained and installed as the Diocese of Knoxville’s fourth ordinary.
Members of the Presbyteral Council will serve for two years beginning Jan. 1. As part of the decree, deanery elections will take place in fall 2026, and those deanery posts will eventually be two-year terms.
Thankful continued from page A9
in a house of worship to pray, listen to God’s Word, and break bread is inspirational, especially at poignant times of the year like Thanksgiving and Advent.
Deacon Hosford led the Call to Worship and gave the opening and closing prayers. Rev. Lippe and Rev. Ireland gave the readings for the service, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:7-18 and Psalm 65. And Rev. Berg delivered the sermon.
In his message, Rev. Berg based his remarks on the Gospel of Matthew. Quoting from Scripture, the Norris United Methodist Church pastor asked why the faithful worry about such things as clothes or food when God has assured His people that He will provide.
Rev. Berg encouraged the congregation to not be weak of faith and instead have confidence in God’s Word.
“Don’t worry about ‘what are we going to eat?’ or ‘what are we going to drink?’ or ‘what are we going to wear?’ Gentiles long for these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them,” Rev. Berg said. “Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all of these things will be given to you as well.”
Rev. Berg listed a number of things he is thankful for, including his family and his larger church family, which includes two churches, as well as the beauty of God’s creation in Anderson County and East Tennessee.
“I’m thankful that these little churches know how important it is to work with other folks in the community, that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel, or do everything on our own, that we understand that connection is essential to doing the work of Jesus,” he said.
“We bear each other’s burdens,” noted Rev. Berg, who also is pastor of Sinking Springs United Methodist Church in Clinton.
He acknowledged that it is difficult for some people to be thankful as they experience sadness and tragedy. But in pointing to the teachings of Jesus, he said “thankfulness is revolutionary.”
Father Joe Reed, pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut, will chair the Presbyteral Council, with Father Mark Schuster, pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville, serving as vice chairman, and Father Ray Powell, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, serving as record secretary.
The Cumberland Mountain deanery representatives on the council will be Father Powell and Father Adam Royal, parochial vicar of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City.
He warned against coveting as stated in the Ten Commandments.
“You don’t need anything that God doesn’t already provide. Don’t worry so much about not having all the ‘right stuff.’ Don’t get all jealous of your neighbor’s ‘shiny new wheels,’ he said.
“Getting all jealous and wanting more than you need is doing nothing but ensuring that somebody else doesn’t have it,” he continued. “That’s a pretty poor way to love your neighbor, don’t you think? God knows what you need.”
He encouraged those in attendance to step into the practice of not needing more than you need, God will provide for everyone, he shared.
He pointed out that what all God provides wasn’t theirs in the first place.
“We’re just holding it in trust for the Giver of all good gifts,” Rev. Berg said. “We are the students of creation. So, be thankful for what is surrounding you. Share your thankfulness around. It’s more contagious than a cold on an airplane. And it will make you a whole lot less miserable.”
He encouraged the congregation to start a “thankfulness revolution.”
“Short-circuit those conversations that are angry and ugly. Your thankfulness will fly in the face of all that fear and all that contempt. Folks may not know what to do with it. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll see that it’s a better way to be,” he said.
“Thankfulness is revolutionary. It fundamentally changes our hearts. It focuses us on what is important. It makes us strive for things that are divine. It sets our sights on God’s reign, not forcefully but by default. It moves us inch by inch toward extravagant love, toward radical generosity,” he added.
Rev. Berg shared that this is the kind of revolution Jesus has in mind for everyone.
“I hope you all can get on board. This is as good a time to start as any. Right? Thanksgiving seems appropriate. Just spread the peace; spread the gratefulness; share the thankfulness around. It’s just a little thing. But God will make it great big,” Rev. Berg concluded.
The Smoky Mountain Deanery representatives on the council will be Father Charlie Donahue, CSP, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville, and Father Tim Sullivan, CSP, associate pastor of Immaculate Conception.
The Five Rivers Deanery representatives are Father Dustin Collins, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City, and Father Jim Harvey, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City. The Chattanooga deanery repreCouncils continued on page A17
Deacon Hosford said he appreciated the words of Rev. Lippe, Rev. Ireland, and Rev. Berg.
The congregation and clergy then gathered in the St. Joseph parish hall for fellowship and the sharing of desserts.
Rev. Ireland said he was uplifted by the significance at this time of year of different denominations joining in Christ’s name to bring a message of hope and inspiration and to break bread together.
“I think it’s one of the greatest witnesses a church can have at this particular time in our country, when everybody is so divided and at times so full of anger, for churches of different traditions to come together and say we may not agree on absolutely everything, but we will worship together and love one another and love our neighbor. That’s the best you can do,” Rev. Ireland said.
Rev. Lippe said the Norris Community Thanksgiving Service shared by different churches in the Norris community has been a blessing from God.
“I feel that doing our ecumenical services has been a blessing to not only our community but to us as ministers. We come together, and we pray for our congregations. We lift each other up when we need to. To be in this community where love is so deep and so central to who we are as a community is really important to us ecumenically among our churches and in our community. It is a blessing to be able to serve here with these men,” Rev. Lippe shared.
Deacon Hosford said the ecumenical service shows the unity of the body of Christ.
“As mentioned in our homily, we try to support each other in small communities growing larger in heart and spirit and living together. The significance is that we celebrate a country that itself shows its unity, this mixing pot of love and faith and ethnicity. So, we try to support one another and treat each other as God asks us to, to love one another,” the deacon said.
Deacon Hosford, who was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Knoxville in 2007, noted that the members of Norris clergy from different denominations are friends as well as colleagues.
“We get together about four times a year to break bread ourselves and to just talk,” the deacon said. Rev. Berg described Methodists as a “very connectional church.”
“To come into a community like Norris, where we realize together across ecumenical lines, across denominational lines, how important connection is. How important it is to keep those relationships is incredible,” Rev. Berg said.
“It helps us to do things together that we would have no hope of doing individually because we are all small churches, as are most churches today. But if we come together, we have this incredible skill set, this incredible well of gifts that everybody brings to the table. They all get along, and it’s really beautiful,” he added.
He noted that the Norris clergy are a close-knit community.
“It’s really neat to be in community with them. They are really great people. They are wonderful, and it’s great to work with them,” Rev. Berg pointed out.
Sally Jackson, a St. Joseph member and volunteer who took part in the ecumenical service, said there is much to be thankful for as the Norris churches gathered together.
Mrs. Jackson cited Rev. Berg’s sermon and agreed that the natural part of Norris is beautiful and connects all the various congregations.
“It’s always good to give thanks. We gather twice a year for Holy Week and for Thanksgiving. We circulate among the different churches, and it’s always beautiful and wonderful to be together,” Mrs. Jackson said.
While Margaret Donaldson and her husband, Bill, live in North Knox County, they attend Mass at St. Joseph. And they appreciate the closeness of the Norris community and their St. Joseph family.
“This is a very close-knit community. And to see all these people come together to hear the message of God that these ministers provide, and their camaraderie, is wonderful to see. You don’t always see that,” Mrs. Donaldson shared.
Mrs. Donaldson noted that some church communities can be very insulated and even unwelcoming.
“It’s not that way here. Everyone is welcoming to every other church for services like this. We do this twice a year just before Advent and then again at the end of Lent. These ministers love being together,” she said. ■
An uplifting message Rev. Brandon Berg of Norris United Methodist Church gives a brief sermon at St. Joseph Church for the Norris Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 24. Ministers of different faiths in the Norris community in Anderson County gather several times a year in fellowship and also hold services at Thanksgiving and Easter to celebrate Jesus Christ and His message to all.
Proclaiming the Gospel Rev. Amanda Lippe of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Norris delivers a reading during the Norris Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 24 at St. Joseph Church.
BILL BREWER (2)
Saying it with meaning Dr. Bill Ireland of the Norris Religious Fellowship also gives a reading during the Norris Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service, which rotates among Norris churches each year.
Knoxville.
because too many different varieties in culture, different people. They will share together. Now we can stand on our own. What did (Bishop) Stika say ‘ If you can stand on your own, then I will let you do that.’ And I told him … give us a chance and I bet we will very rapidly increase the numbers. The numbers increased amazingly, amazingly.”
“From the bottom of our hearts, we are very, very grateful to Bishop Stika and Deacon Sean (Smith). Without Bishop saying yes, nothing would happen,” Mr. Tran continued.
The beginning of the parish community goes back to the early 1990s, with a monthly Mass held
at Immaculate Conception Church and then Knoxville Catholic High School. Bishop Stika announced the name of the parish in 2012, and he dedicated the church Nov. 17, 2013.
He remarked that even though the Vietnamese community struggled, they always looked to God and prayed.
“We worked all together to make it happen,” Mr. Tran said. “We are obediently doing whatever the Church wants us to do … we do everything according to the book.”
The Church of Divine Mercy, located on Carmichael Road in West Knoxville, celebrates Mass in Vietnamese at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, 9 a.m. on Sundays, and 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. For information, visit divinemercyknox.org ■
ough on Dec. 15, 2023. The Mass was celebrated by Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport.
At the Nov. 7 Chancery Mass, Bishop Beckman spoke of the religious order’s ministry in East Tennessee and around the world.
“I think about the beautiful ministry, Sisters, that your community has been doing now for 75 years. You have been making present and real in our world the beautiful heart of Christ, who is coming in search of the lost ones,” Bishop Beckman said.
He emphasized how, in Jesus’ parable, the shepherd puts the lost sheep on his shoulders “with great joy.” And the bishop shared that he thinks about the houses of prayer in Chattanooga established by the MAG Sisters and “the great joy of God’s people being gathered together.”
“There is cause for rejoicing when we know the goodness of the Lord and have the opportunity to participate in that goodness, to be like the shepherd who is going out looking or like the woman who is sweeping the house diligently looking for the lost coin. Thank you all for that ministry, for your ‘Yes’ to the Lord, and for being present here in this Diocese of Knoxville representing the heart of Jesus,” Bishop Beckman continued in his homily.
“I am grateful for you, and I want to say I am grateful on behalf of the whole Church here in the Diocese of Knoxville. You are a beautiful gift to the Lord and to us,” the bishop concluded.
The jubilee year ended on Dec. 12 after Father Cummins celebrated Mass on Nov. 29 at the Jonesborough convent and the Holy Door there was closed
In his homily, Father Cummins said that it is good to remember the mercy of the Lord and all of God’s blessings.
“I believe that this jubilee year for your community has been a year of many blessings blessings for your community and blessings through your community for so many other people,” Father Cummins said. “Through the Holy Door, your community has welcomed many people over this past year the young, the old, families, people who have no one, those strong in their faith, those whose faith was hurting and weak. You have welcomed all, and in that welcoming, you have been a blessing for them. By welcoming them, you have brought them to Jesus our Lord, the Good Shepherd.”
Father Cummins asked the Missionary Sisters to remember the mercy of God and the blessings of the jubilee year.
“Like the Blessed Mother herself, we are called to treasure these things in our hearts, to ponder upon them, and to be strengthened and encouraged by them. … Ponder those blessings in your hearts and always open wide the door to Christ,” he said.
Father Cummins said the Sisters have welcomed Jesus into their homes and hearts during the jubilee year in each visitor, noting that Jesus often comes to His people in the disguise of a visitor, and when another person is welcomed in Christian charity, we welcome Jesus.
“Jesus is the welcome guest in the heart of your community, and today He calls you ‘sister, mother, friend’ for having welcomed Him and for doing the will of the Father in welcoming so many others and each other in Christian charity,” he shared.
The Sisters are pleased with and grateful for the jubilee year celebrations.
“It’s a blessing from God because Pope Francis gave us this special blessing to have a jubilee year,” said Sister Maria Esther.
The Missionary Sisters have been serving in East Tennessee since 1993, only five years after the Diocese of Knoxville was established. A dozen or so MAG Sisters have served in the Diocese of Knoxville through the decades.
The Sisters’ ministry was underscored recently during the tragic flooding in upper East Tennessee from Hurricane Helene. They immediately stepped into service to assist the parishes and Hispanic communities in Erwin, Mountain City, Newport, and Greeneville that were hardest hit
take technology away from them. It’s a challenge and an opportunity. Also, we need to listen to them without judging them. When we listen to them, they respond,” Sister Eloísa said.
The Missionary Sisters also hope to attract young women to the religious order through vocation awareness and being present and visible with their ministry and promoting the faith throughout the diocese.
The Sisters cited an example from St. Patrick Parish, where a small group of young Hispanic women expressed interest in forming a co-ed choir. Sister Maria Luisa, who works with St. Patrick and St. Dominic parishes, began working with the young women, and the group has grown to 16 young-adult members singing at St. Patrick.
Sister Maria Luisa was intent on bringing the young women back to the Church at St. Patrick; she wanted to bring them “back home.” Father Miguel Vélez, pastor of St. Patrick, opened the way for them to begin singing at Masses each week as part of the parish’s music ministry. Another success at St. Patrick was recruiting young altar servers to serve at Masses after the COVID pandemic. Sister Maria Luisa, partnering with Father Vélez, was able to rebuild the team of altar servers that included many Hispanic youth members of the parish. St. Patrick now has 30 altar servers ranging in age from 9 to 16 to serve at the Masses.
" Through the Holy Door, your community has welcomed many people over this past year the young, the old, families, people who have no one, those strong in their faith, those whose faith was hurting and weak. You have welcomed all, and in that welcoming you have been a blessing for them. By welcoming them, you have brought them to Jesus our Lord, the Good Shepherd."
And in many individual cases, the Missionary Sisters have been pivotal in conversions to the faith.
“In order to help the youth, the strategy is to help the parents,” Sister Eloísa said. “It’s a key time to help them relate to their children.”
An outreach of this effort has led to an active family ministry at St. Patrick, where workshops led by priests and deacons are attracting dozens of families that want to grow in faith.
by floodwaters.
“It was so hard for the families. We went to see the river after the storm, and everything is destroyed. It’s very sad,” Sister Maria Esther said.
“Afterward, we went to pray there. We prayed the rosary there. And we walked along the river where lives were lost,” she added. “We also went to visit families, where we offered our prayers.”
The Missionary Sisters, who are very humble in their approach to life and ministry, are just as active in their vocations in the Chattanooga Deanery
“Through this tragedy, we can see God’s love through the children who are generous with their giving to others. And it was amazing to see the response of people who gathered to pray for the victims,” Sister Maria Luisa said.
The Sisters reached out to Catholics and nonCatholics alike and said religious affiliation never factored into the flood-response efforts.
“The objective was to be united and to pray as one for those impacted by the flood,” Sister Maria Luisa noted.
The Missionary Sisters launched their East Tennessee ministry in Chattanooga, where they reached out to Hispanic members of the Chattanooga Deanery and worked with priests in organizing rosaries and Masses.
Over time they expanded their presence to the Tri-Cities, where they continued their apostolate. That apostolate included ministering to farm workers who assist agricultural operations in that area.
“Being in the Diocese of Knoxville is a gift to us as well, especially now with Bishop Beckman. We are so eager to serve with him, with all these goals he has and new horizons he has described. We are ready to work with him and continue serving the parishes. We want to work with him hand in hand,” Sister Maria del Pilar said.
The Sisters described how those in their order who first ministered in East Tennessee faced the challenges of bringing Hispanic Catholics together in fellowship, prayer, and worship, and attracting non-Catholics to the faith. In recent years, the challenges have changed as technology can be an obstacle to faith and as Hispanic youth balance life in the United States and their Latin American heritage.
“It is our turn to accompany the youth and adjust ourselves so we can help the kids to find Jesus through technology because we are not going to
Another ministry initiative the Missionary Sisters are serious about is English as a second language for not only the people they minister to but for themselves as well. The four sisters are learning English so they can serve any Diocese of Knoxville parish, not just the ones with Hispanic communities.
“I give classes in English at Shepherd of the Valley, where I have 15 children. Some of them are Anglo, so I need to prepare my lessons in English. I have to say, ‘Oh, my goodness. Holy Spirit come to me.’ The goal of the Sisters is to be bilingual and teach all of the children, not just the Hispanics,” said Sister Maria Del Pilar, who also volunteers at CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. Beyond ministry programs and religious education within parishes, the Missionary Sisters also go out into the community to reach people where they are.
The Sisters teach leadership development classes, lead sacramental and quinceañera preparation courses, provide counseling, accompany individuals to court, and help people find jobs.
In Unicoi and Washington counties, they visit the migrant farm workers and coordinate having Mass celebrated for them.
“They do great work,” said Mrs. Primm. “They are out there, in the community. Their presence is very important, essential, because they accompany the people in the field.”
“They visit families at home taking the Gospel and inviting them to become part of the parish community. The Sisters go where many can’t with their missionary vocation, sharing the Gospel where they serve,” Mrs. Primm added.
The Sisters also have established two casas de oración, or “houses of prayer,” in Chattanooga. These gathering places are strategically located in areas that will help them reach more people on the margins.
The Santa Cruz Casa de Oración is located in a former recreation center and serves around 500 people. The second, Immaculate Conception, was originally a garage and hosts around 350 people. Activities at the casas de oración include prayer and rosary groups, Mass, food distribution, marriage classes, counseling, and medical assistance. The Sisters and lay leaders host prayer services, musical gatherings, classes, and other community events. ■
A world view The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ‘‘Ad Gentes’’ have been serving in several countries for 75 years.
BILL BREWER
Sisters continued from page A6
Father Michael Cummins St. Dominic Parish pastor
Celebrating a decade Bishop Mark Beckman and Father Dominic Nguyen, pastor of Church of the Divine Mercy in Knoxville, feed red envelopes for good fortune to the lions as part of the Vietnamese Catholic community's lion dance.
GABRIELLE NOLAN
‘Seek God ’s will’
Diocese hosts first Vocation Family night at Sacred Heart Cathedral
By Maggie Parsons
Parents and children were excited to be at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus’ parish hall on Nov. 7 as they chatted with priests and religious Sisters during the first Vocation Family Night in celebration of National Vocation Awareness Week, which took place Nov. 3-9.
The event attracted more than 50 people who were interested in God’s plan for His faithful, including the ministries of men and women religious in the Diocese of Knoxville.
“I was inspired to organize Vocation Family Night because I wanted to create an opportunity for families to come together and explore how God calls each of us to a unique purpose in life,” said Beth Parsons, manager of the Office of Vocations for the diocese.
“Whether it’s through marriage, priesthood, religious life, or single life, understanding and celebrating our vocations are essential. Bringing families into this conversation fosters an environment where faith, discernment, and support for one another can grow,” Mrs. Parsons remarked.
At the event, there were opportunities set up for kids and parents for faith-based fun. Each station held a different activity, including making a Benedictine rosary with a religious Sister for the doorknob of a home; writing a postcard to a seminarian; coloring with the Sisters; playing a board game with a priest; or having conversations with the priests and Sisters.
“My advice to families who are open to God’s will in their life is to foster a real joy in the Lord. A life with the Lord is an adventure, so life as a Christian is an adventure. I think that is a great thing families can foster, and that joy in the Lord will lead each member, each soul of that family, on the path God has for them,” said Sister Scholastica Niemann, OP.
Vocation Family Night gave parents and their children a chance to be
Councils continued from page A15
exposed to a variety of vocations.
“Especially since this one is familyand kid-friendly, my kids are having a blast. They don’t get a lot of opportunities to sit down with religious Sisters or anyone like that, so they can do that here in a very comfortable setting. My children were even sitting asking them questions. I think this is lovely,” said Mary Hanneman, a mother from one of the families that attended the event.
sentatives on the Presbyteral Council are Father Manuel Pérez, pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga, and Monsignor Al Humbrecht, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy. Father Martin Gladysz, associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, and Father Reed will hold appointed positions on the council. Ex-officio special delegates to the Presbyteral Council will be Father Mike Nolan, pastor of St.
hanced,” he wrote, emphasizing that many of the workers and craftsmen “testify to having lived this restoration adventure as part of an authentic spiritual process. They followed in the footsteps of their fathers whose faith, lived out in their work, was the only way to build such a masterpiece.”
The ceremony itself was an example of a masterpiece in moments such as the archbishop blessing the organ and addressing the massive instrument eight times, singing himself, with the organ responding each time in more and more powerful tones, as part of awakening the organ that had to undergo cleaning and restoration after the 2019 fire.
Among those gathered inside the cathedral were disadvantaged people specially invited through the charitable associations of the archdiocese, along with representatives of Paris’ 113 parishes.
“We were able to walk around the cathedral before the ceremony began, with the other guests, ministers, bishops, famous artists, in a smiling atmosphere,” Xavier de Noblet, 50, said. He represented the parish with the oldest church in Paris, Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, which is located on the famous hill just a few meters from the landmark hilltop Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre.
“This new Notre Dame is a jewel,” he said. “It is hard to imagine that this was done in five years, and not in 107 years, as in the Middle Ages!” Mr. de Noblet said, particularly looking forward to the organ’s revival.
“It really is the voice of the cathedral,” he explained. “It is going to be a great thrill to hear it again, as if the cathedral were starting to speak anew.”
Father Danny Herman, associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, spoke about how marriage is not the only vocation option for young adults.
“When you talk about vocations, expose them to priests, expose them to religious,” Father Herman said. “Because, sadly, right now we live in a society where the normal thing is to get married and have a family, and that is a good, holy vocation. …
Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland, from the Chattanooga Deanery; Father Schuster, from the Cumberland Mountain Deanery; Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, from the Five Rivers Deanery; Father Peter Iorio, pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, from the Smoky Mountain Deanery; and Father Doug Owens, pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville, and Father David Boettner, rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral, as delegates.
The following members of the Presbyteral Council have been named to the Diocese of Knox-
Father Gaëtan de Bodard, new chaplain of the iconic Paris fire brigade that saved Notre Dame and successor to Father Jean-Marc Fournier, who courageously ran into the burning cathedral to first preserve the Blessed Sacrament, bless the burning church, and then save the crown of thorns was also full of admiration on Dec. 7.
What trips up a lot of people when discerning a vocation is, I don’t want to be weird, I don’t want to do anything different. Tell them the fruits of vocations, the fruits of having a priest in the family, a religious in a family, or a religious Brother in the family.”
A vocation is a calling from God to live a life of holiness and serve God in a particular way. The term comes from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call.” In the Catholic Church, everyone is called to a vocation in the community, not just those who chose priesthood or religious life.
Vocations include marriage, priesthood, religious life, the diaconate, and consecrated single life.
The Diocese of Knoxville has several offices to help people live out their various vocations: the Office of Vocations, the Office of the Diaconate and Deacon Formation, and the Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment. There are many discernment groups in the diocese as well. For more information, contact any of these diocesan offices and look into joining one of the discernment groups to help discern God’s call.
Sister Scholastica shared how grateful she was for the support of people in her life when she was discerning her vocation.
“I can speak in my own experience when I was discerning religious life; I was so supported at the parish that I was at, encouraged in so many ways,” she said. “They prayed for me; they provided things that I might need. Just their joy to see a parishioner enter religious life was very touching and something that in times I was struggling at the convent wondering is this God’s will for me, is this the path I am called to, just remembering the parishioners and their support was helpful.”
Father Herman shared that during his first year as a priest, the people have been a blessing to him with their welcoming spirit and love.
“The greatest blessing is people
ville’s College of Consultors: Father Boettner, Father Cummins, Monsignor Humbrecht, Father Iorio, Father Nolan, Father Owens, and Father Schuster.
The College of Consultors, among many responsibilities, elects a diocesan administrator when the see becomes vacant. The college also offers advice and makes recommendations to the bishop on matters of diocesan governance.
The term of appointment for the positions in the college will be five years and was effective on Oct. 2. ■
“The cross at the back of the choir shines brightly! What a contrast to the desolate photos of the day after the fire,” he told OSV News. “The simple style of the medieval frescoes that have been restored is touching and prayerful,” he added.
Outside the cathedral, chilling December rain had not prevented crowds from gathering in the famous Latin Quarter just across the Seine River. Giant screens had been set up to allow some 40,000 people to follow the ceremony. “It is cold, and it is raining, but it is really worth being here,” student Agnès Boüan said. “Everyone here cheered when they heard the bells, then when they saw on the big screens the firemen and craftsmen marching,” she said. “And for me, as a Catholic, it is also a bit of a symbol of the rebirth of France as the eldest daughter of the Church.”
Among the large number of French people who watched the event on television, one of them, Alain de Layre, was particularly pleased. In 2020, he donated six oak trees from his family forest, located two hours west of Paris, for the renovation of Notre Dame's roof structure, after having them blessed by his parish priest.
“I am very moved by this resurrection of Notre Dame and very happy to have supplied some beams,” he said. “It is a great pride for me to have contributed to this fabulous undertaking. I hope that this extraordinary undertaking will be a symbol of a new stage in the life of our church!”
For his part, Pope Francis invited “all the baptized who will joyfully enter this Cathedral” to feel “justifiably proud,” and to “reclaim their faith heritage” when Notre Dame is back for Paris and the world, ahead of the inaugural Mass on Dec. 8. ■
Fatherly and Sisterly fun Above: Father Danny Herman, associate pastor of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, is joined by Sister Mary John Slonkosky, OP, center, and Sister Madeline Rose Kraemer, OP, in a fun moment with a young student. Below: Sister Madeline Rose enjoys an entertaining encounter with two young members of the Catholic faith.
DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)
View from above Attendees stand inside Notre Dame Cathedral during a ceremony to mark its reopening following the 2019 fire, in Paris, on Dec. 7.
Notre Dame continued from page A10
Contributing photographers include: Bill Brewer, Dan McWilliams, Gabrielle Nolan, Emily Booker, Jim Wogan, Eleyana Nahigian, Vatican News Service, Big Orange Professional Photography, Susan Unbehaun, Will Brewer, and Rebecca Corte
Diocese of Knoxville Pictorial: A Year in Review
Bishop Mark Beckman is ordained and installed in July. 2. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre addresses the congregation during Bishop Beckman's ordination. 3.
Father David Boettner baptizes a young Catholic at Easter vigil in March. 4. Michael Willey, Bo Beaty, and Danny Herman are ordained priests for the diocese and A.J. Houston is ordained a deacon in June. 5. Priests in procession at the Knoxville Convention Center for Bishop Beckman's ordination. 6. Bishop Beckman meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican in September while attending Bishop School. 7. "Sonny" and "Cher" help celebrate St. Joseph's 75th anniversary in April during an event at the Norris parish. 8. Dominican Sisters captivate girls with stories of their vocations. 9. Father Mike Nolan visits with classmates from Our Lady of Perpetual Help School's 50-year reunion in July. 10. Bishop Beckman holds the papal decree naming him the fourth bishop of Knoxville. 11. A papal nuncio representative reads the papal document that installs Bishop Beckman as the Church in East Tennessee's fourth shepherd during the bishop's July ordination. 12. St. Mary's Legacy Clinic opens its Pigeon Forge location in September. 13. Deacon David Duhamel of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee delivers emergency supplies to Erwin after Hurricane Helene flooding in September. 14. Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, with the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, receives the Lumen Christi Award from the Catholic Extension Society in October. 15. The national eucharistic procession proceeds from the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in June. 16. The eucharistic procession stops at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Newman Center. 17. Notre Dame High School students celebrate Olympic gold medalist and Notre Dame alumna Olivia Reeves in September. 18. Bishop Mark Beckman comforts family members of victims of Hurricane Helene flooding at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Erwin in October. 19. Young adult confirmandi show their confirmation certificates at Sacred Heart Cathedral in May. 20. Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” mark their 75th anniversary. 21. Archbishop Emeritus Joseph E. Kurtz lays hands on Bishop Beckman during Bishop Beckman's July ordination.
1.
Sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit
St. Therese Parish hosts bishop, who celebrates first sacrament of confirmation Mass
By Dan McWilliams
Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated the sacrament of confirmation for the first time as shepherd of the Church in East Tennessee on Nov. 23 at St. Therese Church in Clinton as three young people of the parish were sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The confirmation Mass fell on the feast of Christ the King.
“I can’t think of a better feast on which to be confirmed, other than maybe Pentecost, because we’re focused on Christ the Lord and His kingship, and in a sense in our baptism, in our confirmation, each of us is claimed by Christ the King to be part of His kingdom and to help spread the kingdom,” Bishop Beckman said after Mass.
Deacon Peter Chiaro of St. Therese assisted at Mass, and pastor Father Dennis Kress was in attendance.
The bishop said he found the confirmation Mass “to be very moving” as he celebrated the sacrament in the small parish of about 100 families.
“To be in a beautiful small community like this and to have only three candidates for confirmation, where I could get to know each of them and speak directly to each of the three of them, that meant a lot to me,” he said.
The confirmed youths, siblings Regan and Ryan Keller and Ben Helus, told Bishop Beckman about themselves in letters written to him in the weeks leading up to the Mass. The bishop addressed each youth about his or her letters during the Mass.
“They each wrote me beautiful letters, telling me what they were interested in,” the bishop said. “I was able to speak to each one of them about the letters they wrote me, and I was very touched by that.”
The rite of confirmation began when Deacon Chiaro presented the candidates to Bishop Beckman.
The candidates proclaimed the readings at Mass and would later serve as gift bearers.
“This evening, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the pres-
ence of those three of you who are going to be confirmed,” the bishop said as he began his homily. “I’m very impressed at what you did at the lectern tonight, proclaiming God’s Word. I had to do that when I was in the eighth grade,” he said, adding that the youths displayed
“great courage and witness in terms of your faith.”
The second reading at Mass was from Revelation 1.
“We heard the words of Jesus in the Book of Revelation: ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ the first and the last, the beginning and the end,” Bishop Beckman said.
The bishop then pointed out the connection between the lighting of the paschal candle with the light given to parents as their child is baptized.
“Every single Easter vigil, as we’re getting ready to celebrate the vigil of Easter, we take the Easter candle, which is right over here, I notice, in the church tonight, and we mark that alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, as a symbol of Christ the Lord, on the paschal candle, and then we mark the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end,” Bishop Beckman said.
“And as we’re preparing that candle, we remark that all time belongs to Him and all of the ages, and after we have prepared the candle, of course, we light the great light of Easter vigil, and the Easter candle is lit and carried into the darkened church that night. And from that single flame, the faithful who are baptized are invited to light tapers until the entire church is filled with candlelight. How many of you all have had the experience of being at an Easter vigil?” the bishop asked and then saw a great number of hands raised. “Oh, lots of you. I love that.”
Bishop Beckman said it is “profound to experience that gift.”
“And one of the things that strikes me every year is the Church where I had been pastor, we had totally darkened—no candles or lights of any sort,” he continued. “That single flame, representing Christ, the light of the world, it’s
Confirmed continued on page A22
Joy, gratitude for news of Acutis, Frassati canonization dates
By Gina Christian OSV News
News that canonization dates have been set for Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, who have become popular patrons for teens and young adults, is being met with joy and gratitude by a number of Catholics in the United States.
Pope Francis announced on Nov. 20 that he will elevate Carlo and Mr. Frassati, both currently titled “blessed,” to sainthood in 2025, when the universal Catholic Church will mark a jubilee year. Carlo will be canonized April 27, during the April 25-27 Jubilee for Adolescents in Rome. Mr. Frassati’s canonization will follow amid the July 28-Aug. 3 Jubilee of Young People in Rome.
“This news ushers in great celebration for the Universal Church and especially for young Catholics,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia in a Nov. 20 statement. “Both of these saintly young men reflect the call for today’s youth and young adults to live out their Catholic faith with courage, compassion, and divine love.”
“What a wonderful gift to the Church militant both of these new saints will be,” Christine Wohar, president of FrassatiUSA a Nashville-based nonprofit dedicated to
Communications continued from page A9
was a 15-year-old Italian teenager whose birth in 1991 will make him the first "millennial" to become a saint. He is pictured in an undated
Mr. Frassati was a struggling student who excelled in mountain climbing. He had complete faith in God and persevered through college, dedicating himself to helping the poor and supporting Church social teaching. He died at age 24 and was beatified by St. John Paul II in 1990. He is pictured in an undated photo.
promoting Mr. Frassati’s canonization, in collaboration with the Associazione Pier Giorgio Frassati in Rome said.
Ms. Wohar, whose organization is planning a pilgrimage to the canonization, said that the canonizations are timely.
“Our culture so desperately needs Catholic models of courage,
the Diocese of Knoxville with people who live within the diocese and those who are outside of the region.
“ It is an honor to serve as the new director of communications for the Diocese of Knoxville. Drawing from my background in TV and social media marketing, I hope to share the timeless messages of our Catholic faith in meaningful and accessible ways, ” Mr. Mecklenborg said
“ My hope is to gently bridge our cherished traditions with today ’ s digital platforms, helping more people in East Tennessee feel connected to our community ’ s rich spiritual
devotion to the Eucharist and Our Lady, true manhood, and fidelity to the Church,” she said.
Father Francesco Maria D’Amico, pastor of St. William Parish in Philadelphia, who served as interpreter and guide for Carlo’s mother, Antonia, during her U.S. speaking tour in 2023, also sees these saints as particularly relevant.
heritage and dynamic cultural landscape, ” he added.
Bishop Mark Beckman said he is excited about Mr. Mecklenborg joining the diocese and offering his talent and skill to advance the message of Jesus Christ and His Church.
“ I am delighted to have John on board as our new communications director. His expertise, particularly with video and modern social media, will be a great gift in sharing the Gospel, especially with the next generation, ” Bishop Beckman said.
Mr. Mecklenborg is looking forward to meeting the Catholic faithful across East Tennes -
“God is the Lord of history, and I think that nowadays, he sees youth being attacked by different ideologies, by secularization, by the false promises of technology,” he said.
“So, I think that God, by raising these two youth and young adults as saints, is showing fatherly concern … because they (youth and young adults) are the future of the world.”
Born 90 years apart, Mr. Frassati and Carlo both lived brief but faithfilled lives that saw them devoted to Christ, particularly in the Eucharist, and to those around them.
Dubbed the “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” by St. John Paul II, Mr. Frassati born in Turin, Italy, in 1901 to an influential family began receiving daily Communion at a young age while serving the poor through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and evangelizing his friends.
A lay Dominican, Mr. Frassati also participated in demonstrations to defend his faith against the Communist and Fascist parties in Italy. His passion for outdoor activities such as mountaineering has made him a patron of athletes. Mr. Frassati died in 1925 at age 24 of polio, which doctors speculated he may have contracted from serving the sick. Pope St. John Paul II beatified Mr. Frassati in 1990.
Almost a century later, Carlo in
Sainthood continued on page A23
see and having the opportunity to share their stories.
“The opportunity to work closely with our dedicated clergy, vibrant parishes, and tireless ministries in East Tennessee fills me with hope and purpose as I transition into this role. I have much to learn about the depths of our faith, and I ’ d be hard-pressed to find a better community to serve as my teacher,” he said.
Mr. Mecklenborg succeeds Jim Wogan, who served as diocesan communications director for the past decade.
Mr. Wogan retired in August after joining the Diocese of Knoxville in 2014. ■
First confirmations Above: Bishop Mark Beckman confirms St. Therese Parish teen Regan Keller as her brother, Ryan Keller, right, also takes part in the sacrament. To the left of Regan is Ben Helus, who was being confirmed, too. Below: Regan, Ben, and Ryan bring up the gifts during the confirmation Mass on Nov. 23 at the Clinton church.
DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)
Awaiting canonization Pope Francis has set the dates when Carlo Acutis, left, and Pier Giorgio Frassati, right, will be canonized. Blessed Carlo Acutis
photo.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/SAINTHOOD CAUSE OF CARLO ACUTIS
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE FILE PHOTO
In praise of Mother Church
The Catholic faith, in her loving wisdom and beauty, invites us all to join her
By Claire Collins
Iwas recently at a funeral for the father of a dear friend. After his courageous and valiant battle with cancer, we were there to celebrate his life and, most importantly, to storm heaven on his behalf and implore God’s mercy to bring his soul into eternity.
We sang the beautiful hymn, “O God Beyond All Praising,” heard God’s Word in the readings, and received the Eucharist all while praying for Ivan’s soul and entrusting him to God, asking the angels to lead him on his way.
In attendance at this funeral were friends from my time as a missionary with FOCUS, the family whose example led to my husband’s reversion, a friend recently ordained to the priesthood and who celebrated the Mass, and others whom the Lord has allowed me to know because of our beautiful Catholic faith.
We’ve all been to many Masses with one another over the years as students on retreat, as missionaries preparing to “go and make disciples of all nations,” at conferences and on mission trips, at weddings, at beach houses in a makeshift chapel, and now, at a funeral to remember a life well lived and ask the angels to bring him to paradise.
Johnson continued from page A1
were alive today and here, … Know Nothingism would drive him and his religion back to England whence they came because they were foreign. … And so, with Martin Luther, the great Reformer; he would have been subjected to the same proscriptive test,” he said in a speech in Murfreesboro in 1855.
Gov. Johnson found Catholics to be reliable, working-class people. Coming from a poor, working-class background himself, he sympathized with the issues faced by the Irish Catholics he met. He also found in them political allies.
After serving as governor and military governor of Tennessee in Nashville, Gov. Johnson became vice president of the United States in 1864 and moved to Washington, D.C.
After the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, Vice President Johnson was thrust into the role of president of the United States and given the overwhelming task of actually uniting the states following the division and violence of the Civil War.
While serving in D.C., President Johnson’s children and grandchildren joined him in the White House.
Though President Johnson had never received any formal education, he greatly valued education and sought to provide the best for his sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Some members of his family received their education through Catholic schools.
Andrew “Frank” Johnson Jr., the youngest of the Johnson children, attended the Jesuit-run Georgetown Academy in Washington, D.C. Mary Stover, President Johnson’s youngest daughter, was widowed during the Civil War. She and her children lived in the White House during her father’s presidency. It is not known when, but it is believed that at some point Mary Stover and her daughters, Lillie and Sarah, joined the Catholic Church.
On July 2, 1866, President Johnson, accompanied by both of his daughters, conferred the honors awarded to the female students at the Academy of the Visitation.
The Washington newspaper The Evening Star reported on Mary Stover and one of her daughters attending Mass at St. Aloysius Church on April 22, 1867.
In the 1870s, Sarah Stover attended St. Bernard’s Academy, operated by the Sisters of Mercy in Nashville.
The tombstone for Lillie and Sarah Stover in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville is designed in a style representative of Catholic architecture, with bold arches and intricate inlay.
A new church in Greeneville
After his time as president, the Johnson family returned to upper East Tennessee in 1869. There were not many Catholic families in the area at the time. The pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville would occasionally travel to several towns in upper East Tennessee to celebrate Mass and baptize children.
However, the expanding railroad system was bringing more people to the region, notably Irish Catholic rail workers and their families.
Also in 1869, Felix Reeve donated land on High Street in Greeneville (now College Street) to Bishop Patrick Feehan of the Diocese of Nashville to build a Catholic church in Greeneville. Mr. Reeve asked President Johnson for a donation to the effort because the “Catholic Church has well-grounded claims on all who are
As we sat there in the pews, many of us with babies and families and jobs and lives that we had no idea would happen when we first met one another, it hit me in a new way just how much the Church, our Mother, had shown up for us in it all. She was there when we first entered into the family of God, there for so many of life’s most important milestones, and would even be there for us
influence The
when our earthly life was complete.
No matter how far we strayed, she was always waiting for us with open arms, waiting to nourish us with Jesus’s very body and blood, and treat whatever wounds we had incurred to send us back out stronger and better and ready to love the world. Mother Church has and will always be there for us, whether or not we’ve been ready to acknowledge it.
Many of us have experiences where we feel members of the Church have let us down, and thus see the Church in a strange, distant, obscured light. Maybe a family member who was Catholic hurt us, a priest disappointed us, a Catholic friend turned their back on us, a particularly hard teaching of the Church left us confused or uncomfortable.
These have made it tempting to disregard Mother Church in her beauty and motherly wisdom because of the hurt incurred, and to look elsewhere for the care and love and compassion we all need.
But like a good and loving mother, she does not hold our hurts or hard hearts against us. She waits patiently and tenderly, gently inviting us back to her. One step into the confessional and she is ready to wash us with mercy through Our Lord Jesus. One Mass in grace and she gives us that nour-
friendly to constitutional and liberal government. For that body of Christians is, and ever has been, democratic and conservative.”
President Johnson responded with the largest single donation to the project: he donated $500 for the church, the equivalent of almost $12,000 today.
Perhaps it was a political calculation to gain Catholic Democratic support, perhaps there were Catholics in his own family who encouraged him to donate, or perhaps it was his personal openness to Christian worship of all stripes (he also contributed money or land for other churches in Greeneville). Whatever his personal motivation, the former president’s support helped establish the first permanent fixture of Catholicism in Greeneville.
On Sunday, Oct. 16, 1870, Bishop Feehan dedicated St. Patrick Church in Greeneville, with President Johnson sitting in the front row. A special train ran that morning from Knoxville to Greeneville to accommodate the many people who wished to attend.
The Knoxville Press and Messenger covered the dedication of the church:
“Upon our arrival we found an immense multitude present, all eager to witness the splendid and imposing ceremonies. … The procession slowly moved around the exterior of the Church chanting the usual psalms, the bishop in the meantime sprinkling the walls with holy water. The procession afterwards returned and entered the main entrance, when the litanies were repeated, and the other rite performed.
“Then the people entered and the church was, in a moment, densely crowded; those who could gain admittance were content with any available spot; many perched themselves on the window sills, others packed themselves around the doors and in the vestry rooms, while the largest portion of those present were unable to obtain any view at all.
“Among those present, we observed ExPresident Andrew Johnson, who was invited to the front seat. The interior by the sacred edifice looked very chaste and bore evident marks of having been built by master workmen, who exercised most unusual skill in its construction.”
After the dedication Mass, Bishop Feehan administered the sacrament of confirmation to about 40 people, according to The Press and Messenger
The brick church was 28 feet wide and 40 feet long. It was renovated twice in the following decades, including covering the brick work with white stucco.
Unfortunately, several St. Patrick Parish families moved away from Greeneville, many following the work of the railroad further west. The parish continued to offer Mass semi-regularly, often celebrated by a visiting Dominican priest from Johnson City, for the small Catholic population there. In 1949, the Greeneville Telephone Service bought the property on College Street from the diocese. In 1950, St. Patrick Church was torn down.
The Catholics of Greeneville continued to worship, meeting in homes and the local theater until the building of Notre Dame Church on Mount Bethel Road in 1955. But the memory of Greeneville’s first Catholic church lives on in the memory of the community. If one looks in the Notre Dame nave, there is a small stained-glass window on the Marian side near the sanctuary with an image of St. Patrick Church, a remembrance of the first Catholic church in Greeneville that had a U.S. president as its supporter. ■
President
Catholic
shared tombstone for Lillie and Sarah Stover, Andrew Johnson's granddaughters, in Johnson National Cemetery has influences of Catholic architectural style, particularly the arches that are unique to this period in history. The granddaughters, who lived in the White House during his presidency, later attended Catholic school.
Greeneville's first Catholic church St. Patrick Church in Greeneville is seen as it looked at the turn of the 20th century. Irish Catholic railroad workers, who brought Catholicism to the region, made up a large portion of the church's early membership. Photo from The East Tennessee Catholic archives.
Claire Collins is a freelance writer whose columns appear in Radiant Magazine. Claire and her husband, Andrew, live in Chattanooga with their sons, Joe and Frank, and daughter, Eloise.
ALLISON LUZE
Mother Church continued on page A22
Church continued from page A21
ishment in the Eucharist once again. Even the great act of excommunication is actually just a last effort to try and bring her children back to her fold. It’s easy to forget just how humbly and beautifully Mother Church loves us. I know it is, because many times I have wanted to turn away from her, too. For one reason or another, she wasn’t good enough for me and I began to stray from her loving embrace. And yet even when the world hates the Church, she remains firm. Her members might turn from what is
true, but she never gives way to the world’s pressure. The gates of hell cannot prevail against her, no matter how much it seems like they just might. And how do I know this? Because Jesus said it. And as one of my children’s favorite little shows reminds us, the Scriptures say, “God is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man that He should change His mind.” It can also be easy to treat our parish simply as, “the place I go to church.” We can lose this mystical, mysterious, and sacred sense of just how important the Church is to our souls and to the world, carrying
Confirmed continued from page A20
amazing how a giant darkened church is illuminated by that single flame. And then the deacon sings, ‘The light of Christ.’ And everyone sings, ‘Thanks be to God’ three times. And when the entire church is filled with light, then the great Exsultet begins.”
The feast day reminds the Church who “is our true King,” the bishop said.
“He is the Lord who reigns over all the universe. He is the king of all the rulers of the earth, as the Book of Revelation puts it beautifully,” he said. “His light, His kingship, is what all of us are invited to be part of. And when we are claimed in baptism, we’re chosen by Christ in a very unique and a very particular way to spread His light in the world.
“Ryan and Regan, when your parents brought you to the waters of baptism, and Ben, when you were brought to the waters of baptism, that very Easter candle which we light every Easter would have been used in that baptismal liturgy, and the priest or deacon who did your baptism would have taken a small taper and lit it from that Easter candle and handed it to your parents and godparents.
“And the prayer is something like this: ‘Dear parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ and is always to walk as a child of the light. May she or he keep the flame of faith alive in his heart, and when the Lord comes, may he go out to meet Him with all the saints in the heavenly kingdom.’ That’s the call of a Christian: enlightened by Christ, we bear the light of Christ to everyone in the world.”
Bishop Beckman then spoke to the confirmation candidates individually.
“Now, Ben, I know you love astronomy—you love the stars at night. You go out on a beautiful dark night and you see all those stars filling the darkened sky. Well, you’re called to be like that. You’re called to be a star in the world, to let God’s light shine through you,” he said. “Regan, I know you’ve been eager about your faith journey. You chose to say yes again to your baptismal call. That’s why you’re here to be confirmed tonight. Your yes to the Lord is also very personal.
“And Ryan, you’re part of something you pointed out that is universal in your letter to me: catholic. We do belong to this body of believers that speaks every language of humanity in every continent and country, and this mystery has been unfolding for 2,000 years. The beautiful gift of light that you received— the Lord wants you to share. And every one of us is called to do it in our own unique way. We all have a particular vocation in life. The Lord
us through our earthly pilgrimage. Mother Church wants to accompany us on this journey, memorializing our milestones every step of the way. I invite you, for a moment, to put aside any frustrations and struggles with the Church or her members in order to look through your experiences to the reality of the matter the Church is for us. She wants our good. She loves us and wants to journey with us, no matter what baggage we are bringing. And she, through her Son, Jesus, will continue to pursue us as long as we live. ■
Together in faith Ben and Carl Helus, in the front left pew, and Ryan and Regan Keller, in the front right pew with grandparents Margo and David Keller and parents Julie and Travis Keller, are front and center at St. Therese Church in Clinton on Nov. 23 as Ben, Regan, and Ryan were being confirmed by Bishop Mark Beckman. It was Bishop Beckman's first visit to St. Therese and his first confirmations in the Diocese of Knoxville since being ordained in July as the diocese's fourth shepherd
" Those of you who are newly confirmed, and to the young persons who are surrounding us tonight: our altar servers as well as our deacons and their great diaconal ministry, I want to say a word because it may be that you, one of you or another of you, may be called by the Lord to be a priest or to be a religious or perhaps even to be a deacon. Be open to wherever the call of the Lord may lead you in life."
depends upon you and me to be that light in the world. You’re part of the kingdom of Christ, the light of the world, the alpha, the omega, the beginning and end.”
The candidates’ baptismal call would be sealed, the bishop said, “with the gift of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. A beautiful, beautiful gift, through the laying on of hands and through the sealing of your forehead with sacred chrism in the sign of the cross. And as the Lord Jesus said on the night of Easter Sunday, ‘Peace be with you,’ so after you’re confirmed, I will say to each of you, ‘Peace be with you.’ That’s the desire of the Lord, that that peace might remain with you, that you might be beautiful witnesses in the world.”
Bishop Beckman thanked the youths’ parents, godparents, and proxies, “those who helped form you in the faith and indeed this entire parish community and your pastor and your pastors through the years who have done such good work in shaping this people of God. Tonight, the Lord is saying to us again, ‘I have claimed you for myself. Be my light in the world.’”
Before they were confirmed, the candidates renewed their baptismal promises as the bishop asked, “Do you renounce Satan and all of his works and empty promises? Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, the creator of heaven and of earth? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His
only Son, Our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who today through the sacrament of confirmation is given to you in a special way, just as He was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost? Do you believe in the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?”
Each youth responded “I do” to the questions.
“This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church, and we are proud to profess it in Christ Jesus our Lord,” Bishop Beckman said.
The congregation then stood and prayed along with the bishop.
“Almighty God, Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who brought these your servants to new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, bring them from sin,” he said. “Send upon them, O Lord, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Give them a spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety. Fill them with the spirit of the fear of the Lord through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Ryan chose the confirmation name St. Matthew, and Regan chose St. Teresa of Avila. Ben chose St. Dominic. The bishop, as he confirmed the youths, addressed them by the saint’s name and said, “Be
sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.”
After the confirmations, Bishop Beckman led the congregation in a round of applause for the youths.
In his closing remarks, the bishop thanked Father Kress “for the great pastoral work in shepherding this faith community. What a great community of prayer this is. And our ministers of music, how beautiful. St. Augustine said a song is a thing of joy and love, and you certainly lifted our hearts in joy and love this evening.
Bishop Beckman asked all the young people in attendance to be open to the call of a priestly, diaconal, or religious vocation.
“Those of you who are newly confirmed, and to the young persons who are surrounding us tonight: our altar servers as well as our deacons and their great diaconal ministry, I want to say a word because it may be that you, one of you or another of you, may be called by the Lord to be a priest or to be a religious or perhaps even to be a deacon,” he said. “Be open to wherever the call of the Lord may lead you in life.”
That call can lead to “a deep happiness,” the bishop said, “as many of our priests and deacons and religious Sisters have discovered. For all of you for faithfully living your vocations, those of you committed Christians in single life or married, thank you for the gift of your vocation as well tonight. All of these vocations are fruits of the Holy Spirit, are they not? It is the work of God.”
Julie and Travis Keller are the parents of Regan and Ryan.
“We were honored that this is the bishop’s first confirmation and that he came here because our parish is very small, and we were very honored that he was here,” Mrs. Keller said, noting that her children were “excited” to be confirmed.
“They were a little nervous because they were participating in the Mass” as readers and gift bearers, she said. “They were looking forward to it. They were just really excited to be part of the Mass and not just passively.”
Ben’s parents are Scott and Dena Helus.
Patricia Owczarzak is Regan’s sponsor, and Michael Jordan, a cousin, is Ryan’s sponsor. Ben’s brother, Carl, is his sponsor.
Deacon Chiaro is director of religious education at St. Therese, but he credited Roslyn Hanson for preparing the confirmandi.
“I was part of the team but not as much as Ms. Ros,” he said.
Deacon Chiaro said it was “absolutely wonderful” to have Bishop Beckman visit the church.
“We’re truly blessed. He’s a very nice and kind man. He seems very soft-spoken. It’s just great. He’s very pastoral.” ■
Sacramental celebration Bishop Mark Beckman, center, is accompanied by Deacon Hicks Armor, right, and Deacon Peter Chiaro for a confirmation Mass at St. Therese Church in Clinton. Deacon Chiaro, who serves at St. Therese, was deacon of the Word and altar for the Nov. 23 Mass, which was Bishop Beckman's first confirmation Mass in the Diocese of Knoxville.
In harmony Cantor Debbie Stepp and pianist and vocalist Jacqueline Bentz lead the music for the confirmation Mass at St. Therese Church in Clinton on Nov. 23. Three teen members at St. Therese were confirmed by Bishop Mark Beckman during the bishop's first confirmation Mass in the Diocese of Knoxville
DAN MCWILLIAMS
(3)
Mother
Bishop Mark Beckman
Ladies of Charity prepare clients young and older for Christmas
The East Tennessee Catholic
Guests to the Ladies of Charity-Knoxville’s “Christmas for Kids,” which was held on Dec. 12 at the organization’s North Knoxville facility, were greeted with Christmas volunteers, Santa Claus, and cheer.
Each family shopped for coats, hats and mittens, apparel, and toys. When they finished their shopping, they went downstairs to receive a food basket, children’s books, candy, and refreshments.
Some families continued shopping in the Ladies of Charity thrift store for additional gifts for family and friends. Fifty families were registered for the annual event, and 130 children were expected to receive Christmas gifts.
Parents were able to wrap their gifts before leaving.
“So much gratitude goes to our parish donors. The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus collected new coats. Mast General Store customers donated clothing and coats. A total of 218 coats were available,” said Susan Unbehaun, Ladies of Charity executive director.
“The Dove Tree toy drive at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the toy drive by the Uni-
Sainthood continued from page A20
Santa's helpers Ladies of Charity volunteers and make ready for Christmas during the Knoxville organization's Christmas for Kids event, which was held on Dec. 12 at the Ladies of Charity's Knoxville headquarters. The annual festivity provides toys, clothes, children's books, and food baskets.
versity of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine also participated, and individual donors took part in bringing in toys,” Mrs. Unbehaun added.
She noted that parishioners at St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge made “beautiful” hats and mittens to go with the coats.
“This day brings Christmas to everyone involved. Santa (Dave Roulier) and his elves, Darlene Rosenbaum, Michelle Wedekind,
many ways mirrored his predecessor's qualities. The sunny-faced teen who was born in London in 1991 and grew up in Milan, Italy displayed an early attraction to the spiritual life, reciting the rosary and attending Mass daily, serving as a catechist, volunteering at a church soup kitchen and tutoring children with their homework. At the same time, Carlo was known for his enthusiasm for typical teenage interests, such as video games, pets, soccer, and music.
Carlo died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, having lived a brief life of extraordinary holiness that was marked by a profound devotion to Christ and the Eucharist. His desire to foster awareness of the Blessed Sacrament, along with his formidable computer skills, led him to create a database of Eucharistic miracles throughout the world. Pope Francis beatified him in 2020. Michael Norton, president of the Malvern
and the little Schnauzer, Marshall, welcomed everyone for pictures,” Mrs. Unbehaun said. “Between set up and today, we had 24 volunteers helping staff to get ready and serve the families.”
Mrs. Unbehaun pointed out that the families who took part are existing Ladies of Charity clients who receive other services throughout the year. She said many of them asked if the organization planned to provide
Retreat Center in Malvern, Pa., home to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Blessed Carlo Acutis Shrine and Center for Eucharistic Encounter said he has seen firsthand how Carlo offers a relatable vision for holiness to kids and young adults.
“Students are absolutely fascinated and drawn to Carlo,” Mr. Norton said. “It’s like, ‘Wow, he looks like me. I’m just like him. … He lived in our lifetime.’ He talks their language he’s a computer programmer; he played soccer. And so, the kids are really drawn to him.”
Similarly, Mr. Frassati has had a profound effect on students at a high school in Texas named in his honor.
“For us, this is yet another special grace upon our community, which has really been under the intercession of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati,” said Tim Lienhard, director of enrollment, marketing, and communications at Frassati Catholic
help with Christmas gifts for their children.
“The parents came during school hours, so the gifts are a surprise under the tree,” she said.
Very young children who were accompanying their parents enjoyed seeing Santa and the popcorn.
The families arrived in three shifts and shopped with a personal volunteer guide, who was able to make sure the families received what they needed.
All the coats and toys were donated new for the Christmas for Kids. This event is held each December, and this was its fifth year.
Alice Mancini, Ladies of Charity board president, and Juliann Chavez, board corresponding secretary, gave each family a Christmas dinner box with either a turkey or a pork roast.
Jane Rausch, Diane Przybyszewski, Caroline Zengel, Karen Black, and Mary Head were the volunteers who assisted the families to find their gifts. Gregg and Lynn Gerdich returned for their second year of volunteering for the event.
“Thank you to everyone who helped with monetary donations to purchase needed items, collected items, delivered items, and supported this day,” Mrs. Unbehaun said. ■
High School in Spring, Texas.
Mr. Lienhard said the school has “really felt his spirit on our community, and you see that through our growth. We’ve grown from 46 students in our beginning year, 2013, to 350 today, and we continue to grow.”
The school is planning to send some 20 students to Italy during spring break in March for a pilgrimage that will trace some key places in Mr. Frassati’s life, Mr. Lienhard said.
Many Catholics have been inspired by an Italian phrase Mr. Frassati wrote on a well-known photo of him mountaineering: “Verso L’Alto,” which means “to the heights.”
“As St. Frassati reaches his ultimate summit, we pray he will guide each of us on our journey to the top,” Ms. Wohar said. “We also share in the joy of all those with a devotion to Blessed Carlo Acutis who likewise offers great inspiration to today’s youth.” ■
The Assurance of Peace, Quiet Reflection & Prayer The Columbarium
DAN MCWILLIAMS
Vocations continued from page A17
who have been open and allowing me to enter their lives and be a part of their family,” he said.
Father Herman continued to describe the blessing of being available to the people he shepherds “100 percent of my time.”
“It is a vocation; it is not a job. So, I can never take off my clerics and I am done for the day, relax, I am not a priest anymore. At the end of the day, I will always be a priest. I will always be the one whose life is set aside for glorifying God in the sacraments but also sanctifying His people.”
Sister Scholastica shared that the greatest blessing of her vocation is to “live so closely to the Lord.”
" Whether it’s through marriage, priesthood, religious life, or single life, understanding and celebrating our vocations are essential. Bringing families into this conversation fosters an environment where faith, discernment, and support for one another can grow."
Beth Parsons
Diocesan Office of Vocations manager
Discerning a vocation can bring out many emotions, including fear.
to heal.”
Praying for vocations as a family makes the family stronger and allows children to think about where God is calling them and increases the awareness of all vocations.
Mrs. Parsons spoke about how her family discusses vocations and how everyone should be asking for God’s help and seek His will.
“He is present in the Blessed Sacrament in our convent, and our day begins and ends and is permeated through and through with prayer. To spend all that time with the Lord is a great blessing,” she said.
One can feel alone or lost, not knowing what to do.
“Something that tripped me up from not entering seminary sooner
was this fear that I was always going to be alone, that I would come home to my rectory and be miserable and not see people on a daily basis,” Father Herman said. “But for everything I thought I was going to lose as a priest, I have gained 10 times over in the love and vulnerability that people have presented themselves to me to enter in that woundedness and
“A way our family discusses vocations is to say a ‘vocation prayer’ each night. It helps us all to think about where God is calling us right now and how we will live out that call. The end of the prayer reads,
‘Mary, Most Holy Mother of God, pray for me, that I can discover my vocation and have the courage to respond in faith.’ This powerful intercession encourages us all to seek God's will,” Mrs. Parsons shared. ■
Uno! Father Danny Herman competes in a game of Uno with some young card players attending the first Vocation Family Night on Nov. 7 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral parish hall. Some 50 parents and children attended the event with priests and Sisters serving in the Diocese of Knoxville.
DAN MCWILLIAMS (2)
The blessings of vocation Sister Maria Trinity Dagher, OP, engages in conversation with young students attending Vocation Family Night on Nov. 7 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral parish hall. The girls are making Benedictine door rosaries as part of the vocation festivities.
