Aug. 3, 2014, ET Catholic by Diocese of Knoxville

This issue

He dwells among us ................ 2 Diocesan calendar ................. 10 Deanery news ........................ 11 La Cosecha ......... center pullout

The East Tennessee

Catholic youth .......................15 Columns...................................26 Virtus training...........................29

August 3, 2014 Volume 23 Number 6 Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville • Visit us at dioknox.org or etcatholic.org

The next step Transitional deacons ordained

A helping hand Catholic Charities begins pregnancy education program

School changes OLPH, St. Dominic get new principals

Bishop urges thoughtful solution to border crisis At-risk Central American children find sanctuary at faith-based Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos By Bishop Richard F. Stika

magine being a parent of five children and living with the very real expectation and fear that one of them, or worse yet, all of them, could be the targets of a ruthless and violent gang that you have no power to stop. The circumstances that have led to our recent crisis on the border are complex and the solutions have fueled debate. The images of children “The images of children fleeing their homes in fleeing their homes in Central America and Central America and ararriving at our south- riving at our southwest border seeking help have west border seeking help have ignited the ignited the passions of passions of many peo- many people—including ple — including mine.” mine. I have been moved by — Bishop Richard stories of these children F. Stika traveling hundreds, and in some cases thousands of miles, through strange cities, over land barely habitable for cactus and rattlesnake, putting their lives at risk by moving on without adult supervision, or worse yet, accompanied by an adult more interested in exploiting their situation than helping. What is taking place far from East Tennessee, in Texas and California, is a humanitarian crisis that is often framed politically. Bishop continued on page 23

Turning crisis into care—1 child at a time By Ashley Siferd

Making a difference Bishop Richard F. Stika holds cards featuring two children he is sponsoring who are cared for by Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a Central American faith-based organization that houses and educates orphans in the region.

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his is the story of one family. A family terrified of the all-tooreal threat of rampant and outof-control gang violence that struck too close to home. This is not fiction. This story is about the sobering reality for children who live at risk every day of their lives. Their choices: face death at home, or face death making a daunting and almost unimaginable journey to save and make something of their lives. In the process they have become pawns in a political argument. Born in Honduras, the Guzman children entered a world rife with poverty. Their parents could not afford to feed and care for all of their children. The family was living in extreme social risk. Their parents, both of them, were killed because of gang violence that has turned Honduras into one of the most violent places on earth. After

NPH continued on page 23

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Bishop’s schedule

Homecoming All invited for family day of fun, activities, outdoor Mass to conclude Silver Jubilee Year

eptember is a traditional time for “homecoming” celebrations when school alumni come together to celebrate and support a new year at their alma mater. Although we most often associate the term “alma mater,” meaning “nurturing mother,” with the school we have graduated from, its Christian use always has been in reference to Mary, the Mother of God, the icon of the Church. Just as we came together last year to inaugurate our silver jubilee anniversary with a Eucharistic Congress, I pray you will join me in concluding our Year of Celebration with a “Diocesan Homecoming” and closing Mass on Saturday, Sept. 13, on the campus of Knoxville Catholic High School. And with this homecoming we also will celebrate a new year in the history of the Church in East Tennessee. As a youth, I always looked forward to our parish picnics when family and friends would come together for a day of fun activities and food. I remember the competitiveness of sack races and laughing even when I lost, and of my attempts to impress my friends with my fastball

Diocesan policy for reporting sexual abuse

pitching style at the dunking booth, which sometimes drew more jeers than cheers from them. But what made these family days so special was that they also were a celebration of our faith family. For our parish picnics always concluded with Mass wherein we celebrated as one family around the one table of the Word and the Bread of Life. And so it will be with our Diocesan Homecoming on Sept. 13. Although not a celebration on near the scale of our Eucharistic Congress last year, our Diocesan Homecoming is still a special occasion for demonstrating who we are as the Church of East Tennessee. It’s a time to celebrate Our Lady, our Nurturing Mother, to whom our diocese is consecrated, as well as to St. John Paul II, our co-patron. We will open the doors to our free family day of fun for all ages at 10 a.m. on the Knoxville Catholic High School athletic field. We’ll have bounce houses for the kids, climbing walls, volleyball and tug-of-war competitions, various sports activities, and much more. We’ll also have a barbeque competition (which you must register for) as well as a dean-

ery softball tournament. Although admission and lunch are free, we ask that you register at www.dioknox.org/homecoming/ to better assist us with planning our complimentary food and beverages—it takes less than a minute to register and will be a big help to us. We will conclude our celebration with an outdoor Mass on the KCHS football field beginning at 4 p.m. Father Michael Woods, pastor of All Saints Church, has canceled his normal Saturday evening Mass at 5 p.m. on Sept. 13, but our 4 p.m. outdoor Mass still will fulfill your Sunday obligation – so please spread the word! I am very grateful to Father Michael and to Dickie Sompayrac, KCHS principal, for the use of the parish and school grounds for our event and outdoor Mass. Though homecoming celebrations usually are associated with the attendance of alumni, none of us can yet claim “graduate” status in the Church. For we are all students learning our lessons of faith upon the lap of our Nurturing Mother. So again, I pray you can join me on Sept. 13. I look forward to seeing you then. ■

The East Tennessee

These are some of Bishop Stika’s public appointments: Aug. 1-3: Frassati trip to St. Louis Aug. 4-7: Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Orlando, Fla. Aug. 8: Diocesan teacher’s inservice meeting at Knoxville Catholic High School Aug. 9: Mass and retreat with permanent deacons and wives at All Saints Church Aug. 9: Mass with Installation as Lector for diaconal candidates at All Saints Church Aug. 11-13: Province meeting with seminarians at Barren River State Park in Kentucky Aug. 14: Mass with international priests Aug. 14: Mass and dedication of chapel at All Saints Church Aug. 24: Mass commemorating 250th anniversary of the city of St. Louis Aug. 28: Opening Mass at Knoxville Catholic High School ■

Bishop Richard F. Stika Publisher

Dan McWilliams Assistant editor

Bill Brewer

Margaret Hunt

Anyone who has actual knowlEditor Administrative assistant edge of or who has reasonable 805 S. Northshore Drive • Knoxville, TN 37919 cause to suspect an incident of The Diocese of Knoxville sexual abuse should report such The East Tennessee Catholic (USPS 007211) is published bi-monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 S. Northshore Drive, information to the appropriate Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, Tenn. Printed on recycled paper by the Knoxville News Sentinel. civil authorities first, then to the The East Tennessee Catholic is mailed to all registered Catholic families in East Tennessee. Subscription rate for others is $15 a year bishop’s office, 865-584-3307, or in the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville. the diocesan victims’ assistance coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865Postmaster: Send address changes to The East Tennessee Catholic, 805 S. Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919-7551 Reach us by phone: 865-584-3307 • fax: 865-584-8124 • e-mail: webmaster@dioknox.org • web: dioknox.org 482-1388. ■

2 August 3, 2014

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

Faith-based flotilla gathers in communion on Norris Lake

ather Joe Campbell’s divine streak of boat Masses on Norris Lake without a rainout is intact thanks to God and a little divine inspiration through prayer by Bishop Richard F. Stika. For the past 12 years, Father Campbell, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette and Christ the King Church in Tazewell, has been celebrating a boat Mass on Norris Lake. “Some years we do as many as four each year,” Father Campbell said. On June 21, more than 150 people arrived on more than 30 boats and personal watercraft to a secluded cove to celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, with Bishop Stika as the celebrant. Father Campbell concelebrated the Mass and Deacon Sean Smith assisted Bishop Stika and Father Campbell.

Father Campbell said the June 21 Mass was the largest gathering since the tradition began. “About half of my parishioners live on the water, so it’s just a natural fit,” Father Campbell said. Many of the boaters attending the Mass were vacationers. Before Mass began, Father Campbell called out state names and asked for a show of hands to see where the boaters were from, with Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois represented. “For the Rite of Sprinkling, we just jump in the water,” Bishop Stika said jokingly. Three houseboats formed an enclosure to which other boats tied on. Bishop Stika distributed Communion to the boaters and was assisted by a eucharistic minister. Mass continued on page 29

The Diocese of Knoxville

•

By Stephanie Richer

STEPHANIE RICHER

Annual boat Mass celebrated by Bishop Stika, concelebrated by Father Joe Campbell, attracts more than 150

Come to the Water Bishop Richard F. Stika gives the homily as part of Our

Lady of Perpetual Help Church’s annual boat Mass on Norris Lake on June 21. Bishop Stika was the celebrant, with OLPH pastor Father Joe Campbell concelebrating the Mass. More than 150 people on more than 30 boats attended the Mass.

2 5 th A n n i v e r s A r y J u b i l e e 1 9 8 8 – 2 0 1 3

2014 DIOCESAN HOMECOMING Saturday, September 13th Knoxville catholic high school campus • 620 n. cedar bluff rd. • Knoxville, Tn

Join us for a Diocesan Homecoming celebration to mark the end of our Silver Jubilee Anniversary Year. Activities for all ages will begin at 10:00 am and will culminate with an outdoor Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard Stika at 4:00 pm on the KCHS football field (fulfills Sunday obligation). A wide range of activities will be available for children, youth and adults to enjoy. Admission and catered food by Domino’s is free! Shade tents and plenty of water, courtesy of SAM’s Club, will be available throughout the campus area.

Though admission for our Diocesan Homecoming is free, please register at www.dioknox.org/homecoming to assist us in ordering food & beverages!

Come Enjoy

Inflatable Bounce Houses/Slides/Obstacle Courses • Human Hamster Rolling Cage Ball • Dunk Tank Climbing Wall • Volleyball Competitions • Tug of War • Sack Races • Athletic Competitions • Games & Activities Deanery Softball Tournament (contact kevin@sthomaslc.com) • BBQ competition (contact tgreer@shcknox.org)

The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 3

Approaching priesthood Three seminarians ordained into transitional diaconate with a fourth planning for Rome ordination

4 August 3, 2014

DAN MCWILLIAMS

he diocese capped a strong fortnight for vocations with the ordinations of three transitional deacons June 14 at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The elevation to holy orders for Ray Powell, Scott Russell, and Jesús Guerrero-Rodríguez by Bishop Richard F. Stika followed the May 31 ordinations of four priests. The nearly 26-year-old diocese is truly blessed with all of the ordinations, the bishop said. “These days for the Diocese of Knoxville are real blessings with the seminarians that we have and the ordinations that we have ... and just the vitality of this church that is so young and yet so vibrant even to be recognized by the national media,” he said. “This past Easter Vigil we were recognized as No. 10 in the nation for those coming into the Church, and so we rejoice that all of us are witnesses of Catholic values and of Christian faith. “So the Church gives great rejoicing today to almighty God, and we pray that vocations might continue, and continue to pray for those vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life.” More than 20 priests and more than a dozen permanent deacons joined Bishop Stika in celebrating the Mass. Cardinal Justin Rigali attended in choir. Concelebrants included vicars general Father David Boettner and Monsignor Xavier Mankel; Father Michael Cummins, diocesan director of vocations; and Father David Carter, associate director of vocations. Joining them were Father Don Loskot of Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., Father Noel Mueller, OSB, of St. Meinrad School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Ind., and Father Ron Hicks of Mundelein Seminary in

By Dan McWilliams

Welcome to the diaconate Bishop Richard F. Stika joins hands with seminarian Scott Russell during the June 14 diaconal ordination Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Bishop Stika ordained Mr. Russell, Jesús Guerrero-Rodríguez and Ray Powell into the transitional diaconate. They will serve as deacons for the Church until their ordination into the priesthood next year. Assisting Bishop Stika are Father David Carter (second from left) and Father Joe Reed (standing).

Mundelein, Ill. Deacon GuerreroRodríguez attends St. Meinrad, while Deacon Powell attends Sacred Heart and Deacon Russell attends Mundelein. Also in attendance were women religious with the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary. The bishop welcomed those attending the diaconal ordinations by mentioning a fourth seminarian who will be ordained a transitional deacon this fall. “Once again the Church of Knoxville gathers together for a celebra-

tion this week of three brothers who will be ordained deacons and in October, Michael Hendershott, who is here, will be ordained in Rome,” Bishop Stika said. “So again we celebrate as a Church the goodness that God has shared with us in these vocations, vocations that come from your families.” Bishop Stika opened his homily by recalling a pulpit he saw many years ago and the piece of wood on it that kept the book from sliding down. “Carved on that piece of wood was this, ‘Sir, I wish to see Jesus,’ from the Scriptures,” the bishop

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

said. “Scott and Ray and Jesús, the people of God who gather together with you in this church and all the people that they represent are saying to you, ‘Scott, Raymond, Jesús, we wish to see Jesus.’ We wish to see Jesus in the lives you are giving to the Church as you make this commitment of celibacy—now proclaiming to the world that you will never marry, but that you will totally embrace the Church as she invites you to totally embrace the people of God you are called to serve. “Scott, and Raymond, and Jesús, Deacons continued on page 17 dioknox.org

History of Diocese recognized by Catholic Press Association

he History of the Diocese of Knoxville, a 160-page hardcover, tabletop book that chronicles the diocese since its founding in 1988, has been recognized by the Catholic Press Association with a North American award. The book won second place in the Catholic Press Association’s Coffee Table Book category in the 2014 CPA Awards for the United States and Canada. The History of the Diocese of Knoxville, principally written and edited by Dan McWilliams, assistant editor of The East Tennessee Catholic, and published by Éditions du Signe, was released in December and made available to the public through Diocese of Knoxville churches. Contributing writers were Mary C. Weaver and W. Pat Gang. The book also is available at The Paraclete Catholic Books and Gifts Store in Knoxville. In awarding second place, the judges said the history book “stands out as the finest diocesan history that we as judges have had the pleasure of seeing. The page layouts are wonderful and the type selection is good. The coated stock used really makes the hundreds of colored pictures really pop off the pages. The

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organization of the historical entries is outstanding.” Bishop Richard F. Stika, who wrote the book’s introduction, commissioned the project, which took about two years to complete. The book, which was written in conjunction with the Diocese of Knoxville’s 25th-anniversary celebration, contains a history of each parish, chapters on the history of the diocese, biographies of the three Diocese of Knoxville bishops, chapters on Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, the 25th-anniversary Eucharistic Congress, and a history of both diocesan high schools. Vintage photos and modern-day images appear on virtually every page. ■

Italy/Switzerland: Sep 6-18, Sep 11-23, Sep 18-30, Sep 25-Oct 7, Oct 4-16, Oct 9-21, Oct 16-28... Italy Regular: Sep 6-14, Sep 13-21, Sep 20-28, Sep 27-Oct 5, Oct 4-12, Oct 11-19, Oct 18-26… Holy Land: Sep 1-11, Sep 10-20, Sep 15-25, Sep 22 -Oct 2, Sep 29-Oct 9, Oct 6-16, Oct 13-23... Holy Land/Italy: Sep 1-14, Sep 8-21, Sep 15-28, Sep 22-Oct 5, Sep 29-Oct 12, Oct 6-19, Oct 13-26... Ireland/Scotland: Sep 6-18, Sep 20-Oct 2… Poland: Sep 6-17, Sep 13-24, Sep 20-Oct 1, Sep 21Oct 2, Sep 27-Oct 8, Oct 4-15... France: Sep 6-18, Sep 13-25, Sep 20-Oct 2… Italy South: Sep 6-18, Sep 13-25, Sep 20-Oct 2, Sep 27-Oct 9, Oct 4-16, Oct 11-23, Oct 18-30… Austria/Germany/Switzerland: Sep 6-18, Sep 1325, Sep 20-Oct 2… Tuscany/Assisi/Cinque Terre: Sep 6-17, Sep 13-24, Sep 20-Oct 1, Sep 22-Oct 3… Lourdes/Fatima: Sep 4-12, Sep 11-19, Sep 18-26... Spain: Sep 6-18, Sep 13-25, Sep 20-Oct 2, Sep 21Oct 3, Sep 27-Oct 9… Greece/Turkey: Sep 13-25, Sep 20-Oct 2, Sep 27Oct 9, Sep 28--Oct 10…

Visit our web site for more dates and destinations!! email: sandi@proximotravel.com www.proximotravel.com 855-842-8001 Call us 24/7 The East Tennessee Catholic

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Carmela Manago Executive Director 508-340-9370 August 3, 2014 5

Knights, MR Foundation support special housing work in Tennessee Tennessee Knights of Columbus form foundation to aid agencies that assist those with disabilities

ob Johnson, a Knight of Columbus in Council 10010 at St. John Vianney Church in Gallatin, Tenn., has volunteered to help others his whole life, including with Habitat for Humanity. Having a brother with intellectual disabilities educated him about the needs of that population. So when the late Carlton Russell of Sumner Special Housing Inc. was looking in the mid1990s for someone to help the non-profit agency build a home for people with intellectual disabilities, Johnson was the perfect fit. Since 1997, Johnson, currently the president of Sumner Special Housing, has overseen efforts to build four homes for people with intellectual disabilities in Sumner County using the model he learned working with Habitat for Humanity. Some of the money Sumner Special Housing has used for the projects has come from the MR Foundation, supported by Knights of Columbus councils across Tennessee. The MR Foundation supports charitable organizations that serve people with intellectual disabilities, including grants for housing, vehicles,

Pitching in Knights of Columbus at one of four homes for people with intellectual disabilities they built through Sumner Special Housing Inc. The agency receives help from the MR Foundation, which was created by the Tennessee Knights of Columbus.

activities and programs, and scholarships for people earning degrees to work with people with intellectual disabilities, explained John King, president of the MR Foundation and a Knight in

By Andy Telli, The Tennessee Register

Council 9317 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Cordova, Tenn. Councils can designate half of the money they raise for the MR Foundation to be used for an agency in their area. Since 1975, the MR Foundation has distributed more than $7 million to support a wide range of agencies and services, King said. The money comes from fundraisers hosted by Knights of Columbus councils throughout the state, particularly the familiar Tootsie Roll Drives, King said. “Through council participation from Bristol to Memphis, from Chattanooga to Union City, it’s through their generosity and their fundraising that they make this possible,” King said. Through the years, the MR Foundation has supported Sumner Special Housing’s efforts to provide a safe, secure home for people with intellectual disabilities. Sumner Special Housing bought its first home in Gallatin, which had room for up to eight residents, Johnson said. But the state of Tennessee

Housing, continued on page 31

Restore the voice

of common sense.

In 2000, the Tennessee Supreme Court struck down three state laws providing for the health and safety of women and girls considering abortion: informed consent, 48 hour waiting period and a requirement that later term abortions be performed in hospitals. On November 4th, Tennesseans will have the opportunity to: • Provide safeguards for women considering abortion, unborn children, and Tennessee taxpayers. • Require inspection, licensure, and regulation of abortion facilities. • Stop Tennessee from being a destination for out-of-state abortions.

• Restore life to Tennessee.

6 August 3, 2014

For more info about Amendment 1 visit

www.YesOn1.org

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dioknox.org

Catholic Charities launches pregnancy education program Helping new parents earn while they learn, one ‘Baby Buck’ at a time, to strengthen individual skills, family unit

By Bill Brewer

The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

aley Wright is a regular on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Pregnancy Help Center in LaFollette, coming in each week for diapers and other staples the 21-year-old mother of two and her 22-year-old husband need for their young household. She is one of a few but hopefully growing number of women – prenatal and postnatal – in Campbell County who are accessing the Pregnancy Help Center, a ministry Catholic Charities of East Tennessee also is performing in Knoxville. Mrs. Wright makes her way each week to the LaFollette help center, which occupies a small space in the former West LaFollette Elementary School that has been converted into a community facility. Inside the pregnancy center that CCETN employee Laura Seymour staffs on Mondays and Wednesdays, mothers have access to baby supplies, educational tools, and a support system to guide them through pregnancy and early childhood. “I don’t know what I would have done without the help center,” Mrs. Wright said recently, noting that her husband’s job loss now makes it difficult to make ends meet. “Our (extended) family lives in Knoxville, so it is just me and my husband here in LaFollette. Since we’ve been coming here, we have not had to buy diapers and we’ve been able to get a car seat and crib that have really helped us out.” In reaching out to expectant mothers and couples in need, Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy & Adoption Services office has added a twist to the giveaway of baby supplies. To encourage clients to be more invested in the health and well-being of their child, a new program called “Earn While You Learn,” is serving parents and the Pregnancy Help Centers’ goal of preparing mothers and fathers for the challenges of

Helping hands Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is launching a new program in its Pregnancy Help Centers to en-

courage parents-to-be to be more invested in their baby’s care. Directing the program are Sister Mary Christine Cremin, RSM, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, right, Sandi Davidson, program manager for CCETN’s Pregnancy & Adoption Services, left, and Laura Seymour, manager of CCETN’s Pregnancy Help Center in LaFollette.

parenthood. Mrs. Wright isn’t a casual client of the pregnancy center. She’s a “customer” taking part in the Earn While You Learn program, which rewards parents for participating in an education program that teaches life skills to better prepare them for the demands of parenting. Catholic Charities launched the Earn While You Learn program at its Knoxville Pregnancy Help Center on March 1. The LaFollette program began April 28. Among the courses participants complete are parenting life skills, which includes managing household budgets, child rearing, and information on dealing with drug abuse, physical abuse or sexual abuse.

“We develop a plan with them to determine what their needs are,” said Sandi Davidson, program manager for CCETN’s Pregnancy & Adoption Services. “We try to develop a plan with them that they are interested in or we think they need. It’s more educational. If we think they need more professional help, we will refer to specialists.” As Pregnancy Help Center clients complete educational phases of the program, they earn “Baby Bucks” that can be redeemed for infant supplies. “It really builds their self-esteem and confidence. They love it,” said Sister Mary Christine Cremin, RSM, Catholic Charities of East Tennessee executive director. The need for a program like the

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Pregnancy Help Center is apparent, and while demand is high and increasing in the Knoxville center, the LaFollette program at 300 W. Beech St., is slowly attracting a clientele. But Campbell County is one of the areas most in need of a Pregnancy Help Center. Sister Mary Christine and Mrs. Davidson said Father Joe Campbell, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in LaFollette, first approached Catholic Charities about providing assistance to an unusually high number of pregnant teens in the county that had no resources for teen mothers. “Father Joe Campbell is the reason we are here. He asked us to help with a young girl a few years ago,

Pregnancy continued on page 8 August 3, 2014 7

and he told me there were no resources for women who were pregnant,” Mrs. Davidson said. She noted that the Pregnancy Help Center has been operating in LaFollette for five years following Father Campbell’s inspiration for the outreach. Since opening April 1, 2009, Catholic Charities has learned that approximately 60 teen girls between the ages of 15 and 19 are pregnant for every 1,000 county residents, according to a 2012 report by the Tennessee Economic Council on Women. And in any given year, 20 to 25 Campbell County High School students are pregnant. Pregnancy occasionally occurs at the middle school level, too, Mrs. Davidson added. “Another reason we started here is because there were 21 pregnant girls in high school the first year we were here,” Mrs. Davidson said. “The mindset of girls here, and the culture of the community, is that girls get pregnant at an early age.” Sister Mary Christine, Mrs. Davidson and Mrs. Seymour explained that these young women almost always keep their babies, so adoption or abortion rarely come into play. Mrs. Seymour is looking to get the community involved in the Campbell County Pregnancy Help Center to boost the number of women assisted, which is no longer a concern at the Knoxville Pregnancy Help Center, located at 119 Dameron Ave. The Chattanooga Center is at 859 McCallie Ave. “It would be great if we can have enough girls involved to open three

Missionary work is FOCUS of St. Mary Church parishioner

8 August 3, 2014

BILL BREWER

Pregnancy continued from page 7

Supply and demand Laura Seymour, who manages the LaFollette Pregnancy Help Center for Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, retrieves a car seat that will be used by Pregnancy Health Center clients.

days a week,” Mrs. Seymour said about the LaFollette center. “We only have two volunteers. We really need more.” As the LaFollette Pregnancy Help Center builds its user base, the organizers say community leaders have rallied around it, with support even coming from religious and government sectors. That support is reflected in those using the center, nearly all of whom are not Catholic. “This community is amazing. When we first started, every religious denomination participated in getting this program up and running, and the city of LaFollette provides a grant,” Mrs. Davidson said. “It really is an ecumenical outreach.” Also providing financial support

parishioner at St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge will be converting her interest in a Catholic outreach program for college students into a full-time stint as a collegiate missionary.

for the Pregnancy Help Centers are St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation, the LaFollette Medical Foundation and the Anderson County United Way, which reflects the center’s regional approach. Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Help Centers accept clients from anywhere, not just the counties where they are located. As the pregnancy program grows, Catholic Charities is looking for partners to donate baby items. Client-referral partners include the Health Department and Ladies of Charity. “Ninety-five percent of clients are not Catholic. Many don’t attend a church,” Mrs. Davidson said. As the LaFollette and Chattanooga centers get off the ground, the demand in Knoxville is so good that Deidre Merrill, a graduate of Maryville College, will begin the new school year as a FOCUS missionary at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, working with other FOCUS missionaries there.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

the center has adjusted its schedule. Word of mouth is credited for that program’s early success. Dezera Unger is enrolled in the Knoxville center’s Earn While You Learn program and has completed enough credits to earn a breast pump, a play pen, a stroller, and a car seat. The 19-year-old mother learned of the center from her mother-in-law, who heard about it through the Ladies of Charity Thrift Store. “Some of the things I’m learning I wouldn’t have thought of until after I delivered, so this has been helpful. I learned to properly breast feed, how to read a baby’s cries and how to interact with my baby, and how she will grow,” she said, adding that she has referred a friend to the Pregnancy Help Center. Mrs. Davidson, who pointed out clients like Dezera and Haley can participate in the program from the time they first learn they’re pregnant until the child is 1 year old, said the educational lessons help remove the fear factor for parents. Catholic Charities believes its Pregnancy Help Centers will instill parent confidence in caring for their newborns, equipping them with life skills, and at the same time strengthen young families. ”It’s opening them to a new life. We want to teach them how to be a good parent and successfully manage their home, apply for employment or pursue more education,” Sister Mary Christine said. “We needed to switch from a program of just handing out resources. As an agency, we want to focus on programs that have a real impact and respect the dignity of the person.” ■ FOCUS, which is the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, has missionaries at 100 colleges across the United States, including at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The

FOCUS continued on page 9 dioknox.org

RCIA Summer Conference attracts local, national speakers Father David Carter, EWTN’s Jim and Joy Pinto, deliver keynote talks during annual conference

FOCUS continued from page 8

mission of FOCUS is to work with college students to strengthen their faith through Bible study, apologetics, liturgy, and social activities. Ms. Merrill will begin her mission work at Georgia Tech on Aug. 5. She spent this summer raising funds for her mission work. “I went to Maryville College. But the University of Tennessee’s misThe East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

WTN personalities Jim and Joy Pinto delivered the morning keynote June 21 at the annual Diocese of Knoxville RCIA Summer Conference held at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City. The Pintos co-host “At Home With Jim & Joy” on EWTN Radio and “Marriage and God’s Plan” on EWTN Television. The conference was sponsored by the diocesan Office of Christian Formation, whose director is Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM. Sister Timothea said the conference has been held for at least 20 years. “Once a year for the whole diocese,” she said, “and then we have workshops three times a year for the team leaders and team members to update them in new things that are happening and to train them as RCIA leaders and catechists.” Training and updating were among the main purposes of this year’s diocesan-wide RCIA conference. “And we’re focusing this year on the family as domestic Church because of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops coming up in October that’s going to focus on pastoral needs of the family,” Sister Timothea said. The conference had a strong lineup of keynote speakers. “Yes, we did. Jim and Joy, of course, have their daily radio program, ‘At Home With Jim & Joy,’ that they developed to really pro-

By Dan McWilliams

Family focus EWTN broadcast personalities Joy and Jim Pinto lead a program during the Diocese of Knoxville’s annual RCIA Summer Conference June 21 at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City.

claim the sacredness of marriage and the family,” Sister Timothea said. “Father David Carter was the keynote speaker on canon law that affects the family.” Leading breakout sessions were Sister Timothea, Deacon Jim Lawson and the Pintos. Mrs. Pinto immediately let her

audience know of her passion for the Catholic Church. “I love being Catholic. I gave up a lot to be Catholic,” she said. “I’m not playing being Catholic. What the Church says, I try to do, by God’s grace and mercy. I’m going to defend the Catholic Church, the name of Jesus, until the day I die

with my last breath.” Mr. Pinto said despite the attacks on the family in today’s society, “we know who prevails, right? “That the Lord Jesus Christ prevails and that we are moving, as one of my friends, Father [Frank] Pavone says, from victory to vic-

sionaries reached out to Maryville College and some of those students. That changed my life and that’s what brought me to FOCUS,” Ms. Merrill said. Bishop Richard F. Deidre Merrill Stika worked with FOCUS to start a UT chapter in the

fall of 2012 at St. John XXIII University Parish and Catholic Center. Ms. Merrill said she looks forward to arriving at Georgia Tech because she is “passionate” about working with students. “We very much follow the evangelization method that Christ left – it was very successful. He chose those 12 apostles and he took them for three years and deeply invested in

them. So to get those people who we want to invest in, we’ll host events and Bible studies, and then we look for people who are ready to take the next step,” she said. Ms. Merrill continues to raise funds for her missionary work. She and the other FOCUS missionaries are looking for mission partners who will support them financially through monthly donations. ■

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

RCIA continued on page 18

August 3, 2014 9

Diocesan calendar by Margaret Hunt The diocesan Ministries Day sponsored by the Office of Christian Formation is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The event includes workshops of interest to youth ministers, RCIA teams, faith-formation teams, catechists, and others who serve in church ministries. The cost is $20 and includes lunch. Registration forms are available from Father Richard Armstrong or Susan Collins, youth minister at Notre Dame Church in Greeneville. Contact Father Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or rarmstrong@dioknox.org or Mrs. Collins at 423-6399381 or scollins51@hotmail.com. The Office of Christian Formation in conjunction with Aquinas College will present two catechist orientation sessions in the diocese during August. The first is planned for 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at St. Mary Church in Johnson City, and the second will be from 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa. These classes are appropriate for all new catechists, RCIA team members, or those who wish to increase their understanding of the Catholic faith. Register on the Eventbrite page, www.eventbrite. com/o/diocese-of-knoxville-officeof-christian-formation-3149767104. For more information, contact Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or rarmstrong@dioknox.org, or Chris Kite at ckite@dioknox.org. Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate three bilingual Masses in celebration of marriage this fall. The first will be on Saturday, Sept. 6, at Holy Family Church in Seymour; the second will be on Saturday, Oct. 11, at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City; and the third will be on Saturday, Nov. 22, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. All celebrations will begin at 11 a.m. and will be followed by a luncheon. Participants are asked to register at least one

10 August 3, 2014

week in advance to receive a commemorative certificate and a professional photo opportunity with Bishop Stika. To register, contact Marian Christiana at 423-892-2310 or mchristiana@dioknox.org, or Karen Byrne at 865-584-3307 or kbyrne@dioknox.org. A charismatic Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, at Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy. Father Dan Whitman will be the celebrant. Singers and instrumentalists who would like to participate should arrive at 4:30. Prayers for healing will follow the Mass. For more information, contact Dee Leigh at 423-842-2305 or deeleigh@comcast.net. The September Cursillo secretariat meeting has been changed from Sept. 13 to Saturday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. For more information, contact Judy Holt at 423-767-6394 or judymassogliaholt@gmail.com. The Knoxville Cursillo is sponsoring a Grand Ultreya in Spanish from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 27, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. For more information, contact Micheline Parkey at 423-827-7738 or michelineparkey@epbfi.com. A men’s Cursillo in English has been scheduled for Oct. 16-19 at the Apison Retreat Center in Apison, Tenn. For more information, contact Dick Shriver at 865-384-2133 or shriver51@aol. com, or Lance Lyons at 405-3151 or lanclyons1@gmail.com. There will be a Marriage Encounter weekend in Atlanta the weekend of Aug. 22-24. Register online at wwmesection5.org and use code Disc40 for a reduced application fee. For more information, contact John or Anne Wharton at acw193@bellsouth.net. A Retrouvaille weekend for couples who are separated, divorced, or are suffering difficulties in their marriages is scheduled for Aug. 29-31

in Nashville. Call 800-470-2230 or e-mail nrv3043@gmail.com for more information, or visit the website www. HelpOurMarriage.com. Knoxville Catholic High School is hosting the sixth annual community tailgate at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, before the KCHS vs. Coalfield game. Games and a bounce house will be available for children who attend the tailgate. Tickets are $10 per person for the game and a barbecue dinner. For more information, contact Diannah Miller at 865-560-0525 or dmiller@ knoxvillecatholic.com. A Rachel’s Vineyard retreat for women and men healing from emotional grief following an abortion is scheduled for Sept. 5-7 in Asheville, N.C. For more information, call Shelly at 828230-4940 or visit www.rachelsvineyard. org. The 16th annual Knights of Columbus Community Golf Outing sponsored by Knights Council 3832 in Alcoa is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12, at Lambert Acres Golf Club in Alcoa. The format will be a fourperson swat. The $75 fee includes golf and cart fees, driving range, door prizes, goody bags, and lunch. Mulligan packages are available for $10 and include a drive from the red tee, a free throw, and one mulligan. Sponsorships are available. The rain date is Friday, Sept. 19. For more information, call Doug Hill at 865-856-8907, Jim Reggio at 983-9276, or Pat Flanangan at 388-3409. Proceeds from the event will support the Community Food Connection, local veterans’ organizations, the American Diabetes Association, the Daily Times Empty Pantry Fund, Blount County Special Olympics, and other Blount County charities. “Women in Struggle” is the theme of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia annual gathering of members to be held Sept. 19-21 at Arrowmont Arts and Crafts Center in Gatlinburg. The keynote speaker on Sept. 20 will

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be Dr. Margaret Nutting Ralph, director of the Master in Pastoral Studies Program for Roman Catholics at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky. On Saturday evening the Bishop Sullivan Award will be presented to the individual who best exemplifies the commitment to Appalachia and the social and ecological concerns of the area. The FOCIS (Federation of Communities in Service) Award will also be given to acknowledge service excellence for a group. The gathering will conclude Sunday morning with Mass. For more information about CCA and the annual gathering, visit www.ccappa.org or contact Brother Joe Steen at jsteen@glenmary.org or 865-745-1593. The annual Diocesan Youth Recognition Mass and Celebration is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville. Awards for youth and adult leadership will be conferred, and the 2014-15 Diocesan Youth Ministry Advisory Council will be installed at the Mass. Following the Mass, there will be a cruise on the Volunteer Princess. The cost is $30. Space is limited to 149 on the cruise. Contact Al Forsythe at 865-862-5754 or aforsythe@dioknox.org, or Karen Byrne at 865-8625739 or kbyrne@dioknox.org for more information. The Office of Christian Formation in conjunction with Aquinas College is presenting course 1 of the diocesan catechetical program for those involved in parish faith formation. The course will be presented at the Chancery on Oct. 11, Notre Dame Church in Greeneville on Nov. 1, and Holy Spirit Church in Soddy-Daisy on Nov. 8. All sessions will meet on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register on the Eventbrite page, www.eventbrite. com/o/diocese-of-knoxville-officeof-christian-formation-3149767104. For more information, contact Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or rarmstrong@dioknox.org, or Chris Kite at ckite@dioknox.org. Calendar continued on page 11 dioknox.org

Chattanooga Deanery calendar per person, which includes a workbook. Contact Lisa Moore to register at 423-843-3219 or lijomo@comcast.net. Registration forms are also available in the church vestibule. For more information, call Kyra in the parish office at 423-870-2386 or visit www.dioknox.org/ divorced-catholics-healing-support.

The diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment is offering a 12week program entitled The Catholic’s Divorce Survival Guide beginning on Monday, Aug. 25, from 6:30-8 p.m. at St. Jude Church. Each session begins with a 30-minute DVD presentation covering topics of interest to those who are affected by divorce. The cost is $15

The diocesan Office of Christian Formation is sponsoring an RCIA conference for RCIA teams in the Chattanooga Deanery on Saturday, Sept. 27, at St. Mary Church in Athens. For more information, contact Sister Timothea Elliott, RSM, at 865-584-3307 or srmarytimothea@dioknox.org, or Chris Kite at ckite@dioknox.org. ■

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga Council 6099 honored the following Knights of Columbus for their service during 2013-14: Carl Labbe Jr., the “Stumpy Award”; George Ames, Knight of the year; and Victor and Elaine Williams, family of the year. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish is forming a singles group for Catholics ages 21-35 who are interested in social and spiritual gatherings. For more information, contact Father Mike Creson at 423-622-7232 or monktrout99@yahoo.com. Our Lady of Perpetual Help School is hosting the first Grand Ram Tricycle Race on Saturday, Sept. 27, to benefit the school. Tricycle riders ages 4 through adult are invited to participate. Following the race, the annual Choo Choo Catholic Football Game and fall festival will be held. Corporate sponsorships are available. Contact Kari Hudson at kariklemm@aol.com for more details. St. Mary, Athens The Ladies of Charity have developed a Happy Feet program for school-age children in need of shoes and socks for school. The program is limited to parish families who are having financial difficulties because of a job loss or illness. For more information, call Holly Gates at 423-507-5899.

COURTESY OF HEATHER WILSON

The Secular Franciscans are hosting a “Come and See” event at St. Jude at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, in the Harwood Room in the St. Jude Church family life center. Those interested in Franciscan spirituality are invited to attend. For more information, call Alice Lenning at 423-5701336 or Barbara Garrison at 580-3316.

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery

Bishop confirms youth at St. Augustine Bishop Richard F. Stika confirmed 26 youth at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain on March 2.

The St. Mary Church Family Fall Festival is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. The day will include live entertainment, numerous ethnic food booths, a silent auction, and games for the whole family. For more information, call the parish office at 423-745-4277 or visit the parish website at www. stmaryathenstn.org.

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga Knights of Columbus Council 610 will hold its annual White Elephant Yard Sale at its annual Labor Day picnic on Sept. 1 at Camp Columbus. For pick-up and drop-off information, contact Scott Louisell at 423-667-6936 or scottlouisell@ gmail.com or John Chrnalogar at 544-1562. ■

ELIZABETH CONWAY

Calendar continued from page 10

New Knights officers installed at Holy Spirit Knights of Columbus Council 14079 of Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy held its installation of officers and award dinner July 11 for the year 2014-15. Monsignor Al Humbrecht was installed as council chaplain, and Steve DeRight passed the title of Grand Knight to Dave Strubhart. New officers pictured are (from left, front) Bob Hanselman, Monsignor Humbrecht, William Pat Conway, Westly Bell, and Mel Chastain; (middle) Eric Pelton, Kenny King, deputy Grand Knight Harold Siercks, and Mr. Strubhart; and (back) Ed Clem, Mike Little, Bob Grueter, Bruce Speer, Gino Bennett, and Mr. DeRight. The East Tennessee Catholic

Chattanoogans for Life is hosting the annual Celebrate Life Banquet scheduled for 6-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Pier 21 Riverboat in Chattanooga. The banquet is the organization’s main fundraiser of the year. Tickets are $50 per person. Sponsorships are available. Contact Donna Jones for more information at djones6029@gmail.com. An Engaged Encounter weekend is scheduled for Oct. 17-19 at the Holiday Inn Express in Lenoir City. For more information, contact Jason or Carmen Jeansonne at 865-377-3077 or ceeknoxville@yahoo.com. Monsignor Al Humbrecht and Father William Oruko, AJ, will be the spiritual directors of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land scheduled for Feb. 1528, 2015. The itinerary includes stops at religious sites in and around Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Mount Carmel. The cost of the

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Calendar continued on page 13 August 3, 2014 11

Cumberland Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery

The Frassati Group for young adults ages 18-35 meets at the main entrance of All Saints Church at 7 p.m. Thurs-

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman Karen and John Higgins have been appointed as the new youth ministers for the parish, replacing Susan Roberts, who had served in that role. The parish also welcomed Lexi and Tony Sinnott as the new directors of religious education, taking the reins from Joan Turbyville, who has retired. The parish thanked both Ms. Roberts and Ms. Turbyville for their years of dedicated service.

days. For more information or a schedule of activities, call Elijah Martin at 828606-2961. ■

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Mission, Maynardville

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade Anniversaries: Jim and Helen McGonagle (68), Guy and Billie LaBorde (66), Joe and Millie Walisinski (64), Al and Kathleen Evans (64), Rick and Sharon Cantrell (62), Robert and Madonna Boncher (62), Bernard and Darlene DiFillipi (60), William and Mary Best (60), William and Janette LaRou (59), Larry and Reva Lanzerotti (58), Ken and Norma Guillory (57), Ralph and Lois Taylor (57), Ben and Jackie Ryba (57), Phillip and Johanne Ardire (56), James and Laura Knoll (56), Russell and Edith Uboldi (56), James and Corrine Gabriel (55), Paul and Carole Forkapa (55), Bernard and JoAnne Bunyak (54), Jerome and Carol Scherer (54), Tom and Peg Clifford (54), Ray and Joan Naldolny (53), Neil and Barbara Ferency (52), David and Tish Offutt (51), Don and Judith Johnson (51), Elliott and Nonie Bueche (51), Paul and Barbara Dahar (50), Tom and Trish Rosenburgh (50), Tyrone and Pat Perry (50)

COURTESY OF OLIVIA KUHENS

The parish youth group is raising funds for the new church building. Members of the group are collecting donations from July 16-Aug. 30, with a final carnival night for the parish Saturday, Aug. 30, to cap off their efforts. The person who raises the most money will be crowned the King or Queen of the Carnival. For more information about the fundraiser and carnival and for the time planned for the event, contact Jeanie Curry at curr7622@bellsouth.net.

Five receive first Communion at St. Therese in Clinton Five children celebrated their first Holy Communion on June 1 at St. Therese Church in Clinton. Father Julius Abuh presided over the ceremony. Pictured are (from left, front) Ethan Yonce, Aldo de la Rosa, Muller Gudino, Riley Dials, and Eva McLean and (back) teacher Olivia Kuhens, co-director of religious education Joelle Duncan, Father Abuh, teacher Anielle Duncan, and co-DRE Kathy Burns.

John and Betty Morici mark golden anniversary St. John Neumann, Farragut The St. John Neumann youth group is collecting school supplies for children who attend St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. Mesh backpacks, pencils, paper, glue sticks, crayons, safety scissors, and other school supplies are requested. Donations can be placed in collection boxes outside the church. Gift cards will also be accepted. For more information, call Al Forsythe at 865-806-1343. Sandi Davidson, program director for the Pregnancy Services Program at Catholic Charities, thanked the parish for its response to the Pregnancy Help Center Baby Bottle Drive. The parish collected more than $2,000 in donations.

St. Mary, Oak Ridge The parish White Elephant Thrift Store is recruiting volunteers. The store is seeking help on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call the parish office for more details at 865-482-2875. Father Bede Aboh will be visiting his home country of Nigeria in September and is requesting donations of medicine for the clinic in his hometown. The most needed items include Tylenol, Children’s Tylenol, ibuprofen, topical antibiotic cream, BandAids, Ace bandages, and knee and ankle supporters. For more information, call the

12 August 3, 2014

Cumberland Mountain continued on page 14

t. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade congratulates John and Betty Morici, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary June 21. They were married at St. Francis de Sales Church in Lake Geneva, Wis., on July 27.

Their daughters are: Rosanne Morici of Viroqua, Wis., and Deanna Morici (deceased). Mr. Morici retired from Wright Pump in Muskego, Wis., and Mrs. Morici retired from Deignan and Associates. The couple moved to the Glade in November 2007. ■

Bours celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

oseph and Susanna Bour of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary June 20. They were married at St. Mary Church in Clyde, Ohio. Their children are Barbara Breese of Walbridge, Ohio; Kristine Bour of Smyrna; Douglas Bour of Davidson, N.C.; and Gregory Bour of

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Defiance, Ohio; and they have five grandchildren. Mr. Bour retired from Quality Castings and Mrs. Bour (self-employed) from Quest Medical Management, both in Orrville, Ohio. They moved to the Glade in 2008. The Bours planned to celebrate their anniversary with all their family in Pigeon Forge. ■ dioknox.org

Five Rivers Deanery calendar St. Anthony of Padua Church in Mountain City will welcome Father Albert Haase, OFM, who will lead a parish retreat entitled “Signed and Sealed With the Cross” at 7 p.m. Aug. 24-26. Father Haase, a former missionary to China, has written eight books on popular spirituality and trains spiritual directors in the Diocese of Springfield, Ill. He is also the co-host of “Spirit and Life,” a weekend show on Relevant Radio. There is no cost to attend the retreat. Light refreshments will be served each

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery

evening. For more information, contact Sharon Bubel at 423-768-3336.

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City As of July 20, the parish has collected $1,290 or 50 percent of its goal to benefit its twin parish in Bainet, Haiti.

The diocesan Office of Christian Formation is sponsoring an RCIA conference for RCIA teams in the Five Rivers Deanery at St. Mary Church in Johnson City on Saturday, Nov. 8. The time is to be determined. For more information, contact Sister Timothea Elliott, RSM, at 865-584-3307 or srmarytimothea@ dioknox.org, or Chris Kite at ckite@dioknox.org. ■

The Knights of Columbus are hosting a dinner for their wives, widows, and widowers at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Walt’s Hitchin’ Post in Dandridge. RSVP to Tommy Arnold by Sept. 8 at 865-368-6398 or arnoldt2@k12tn.net. The parish collected school supplies for clients of Appalachian Outreach during July and the first weekend of August. Anniversaries: Lee and Evangeline Webster (57); David and Alice Cornell (51)

Notre Dame, Greeneville Knights Council 6784 congratulated its new officers: Grand Knight, Bud Noe; deputy Grand Knight, Don Myers; chancellor, Charlie Higdon; financial secretary, Chuck Alter; treasurer, Tim Shaw; recorder, Rick Longworth; lector, Tony Alter; and warden, Tom Quint.

COURTESY OF COLEEN SCHNEIDER

The parish Fall Festival of Nations is set for Saturday, Sept. 20, on the parish grounds. Events include a silent auction, a yard sale, games, and a variety of ethnic foods. Raffle tickets are available now for $2 apiece from the committee chairs. For more information, call the parish office at 423-639-9381.

First Communion at St. Elizabeth Five children celebrated their first Holy Communion recently at St. Elizabeth Church in Elizabethton. From left are Kieran Smith, Joshua Gouge, Haile Sexton, Paul DeMaria, and Michael Anspaugh.

The East Tennessee Catholic

St. Dominic Church is hosting a rummage, book, and bake sale from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 9. A wide variety of items will be available for sale such as furniture, clothing, toys, vintage records, baked goods, and more. For more information, call Veronica at 423-765-1264. The annual parish Italian night, “Notte Italiana,” is set for Saturday, Aug. 23, in the parish life center. An evening of Italian food, music, and dancing is planned. Call the parish office for more information at 423-288-8101.

St. Patrick, Morristown Knights of Columbus Council 6730 is having a yard sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 30, behind the church in the picnic pavilion. Expected items for sale include garden and yard tools, auto parts, power tools, camping equipment, kitchenware, antiques, furniture, appliances, and exercise equipment. Call the parish office at 423-586-9174 for more information. ■

IMELDA LA ROCCO

Big turnout for Corpus Christi procession at St. Mary in Johnson City Nearly 200 parishioners participated in the feast of Corpus Christi eucharistic procession at St. Mary Church in Johnson City on June 22. With stops at the labyrinth in front of the church, the rectory, the school, and the adoration chapel, the procession wound up in the church for a benediction.

St. Dominic, Kingsport

Calendar continued from page 11 pilgrimage is $3,708 payable by credit card, or $3,499 if paid by cash or check. The price includes economy-class airfare from Atlanta, plus meals, fuel surcharges, taxes, and tips. The registration fee is $400. Contact Sister Albertine Paulus, RSM, for registration information at 865-207-4742 or smaevang@yahoo.com. Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at 1:30 p.m. each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; at 3 p.m. on Calendar continued on page 14

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 13

Smoky Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery

The seventh annual Irish Fest on the Hill will take place from 4-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Immaculate Conception Church. The festival will include Irish music, dancing, beer, a tour of the church, games, and much more. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. For more information, call the parish office at 865522-1508 or visit the Irish Fest on the Hill page on Facebook.

Holy Family, Seymour Holy Family Church is hosting a yard and bake sale from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9; and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10. For more information, contact Anita or Jerry Miller at 865-712-8252 or nitajerm@gmail.com.

Sacred Heart, Knoxville A recently formed ministry at Sacred Heart is preparing dinner with the young men at Columbus Home, a group home for teenage boys ages 13 to 18, once a month. To learn more or to participate in this ministry, contact Mary Leitnaker at 865-971-1912. ■

Sacred Heart Cathedral is sponsoring a movie night at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, featuring the documentary, “The Great Cathedral Mystery,” produced by the PBS show Nova about the building of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy, during the Renaissance. For more information, call the parish office at 865-588-0249. ■

first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland; at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville; at 11 a.m. on most Sundays at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Townsend; and at 3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information. The St. Thomas the Apostle Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Mission has moved to 2304 Ault Road, Knoxville, TN 37914. Divine Liturgy times remain the same. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865584-3307 or visit www.saintthomas-knoxville.org for details.

COURTESY OF DANA HOGAN

Calendar continued from page 13

Special guest at Our Lady of Fatima VBS dinner More than 60 children and 30 volunteers participated in Our Lady of Fatima Parish’s 2014 vacation Bible school program, Vatican Express. The week ended with a potluck dinner that included a special guest: Pope Francis (played by parishioner John Speck), and his own Swiss Guard (played by parishioner Luis Ramos). Pastor Father Bill McKenzie and Father Bill McNeeley accepted a donation for the week’s fundraiser, the annual Peter’s Pence collection.

Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission has Divine Liturgy celebrations at 9:30 a.m. Sundays at the old Holy Ghost Church, 1031 N. Central St. in Knoxville. For times of holy-day services or for more information, visit www.knoxbyz.org or call Father Thomas O’Connell at 865-256-4880. ■

Cumberland Mountain continued from page 12 parish office at 865-482-2875.

St. Therese, Clinton Father Julius Abuh celebrated his 22nd ordination anniversary with a Mass on July 18. The parish collected school supplies for Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) to assemble backpacks for children in need for the upcoming school year. ■

14 August 3, 2014

COURTESY OF LINDA BOLEN

Planning meetings for the annual St. Mary School Fall Festival are being held on the second Sunday of each month after the 10 a.m. Mass in Columbus Hall. This year’s fall festival is scheduled for Oct. 17-18. For more information, contact Lenna Aird at 865-203-6260 or lennaaird1@comcast.net.

Holy Ghost Parish picnic Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville held its annual picnic June 7. The event featured a variety of food, music, and activities.

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dioknox.org

Catholic youth

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

Notre Dame High’s Howie Sompayrac moves to St. Joseph

In fellowship Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrates Mass at the Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center with the diocesan Frassati Fellowship and other young adults on June 29. The event, “Hanging With the Apostles,” was a gathering to celebrate the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. In his homily, Bishop Stika said there may be times when they feel like St. Peter, wondering why Jesus kept asking, “Do you love me?” and doubting whether they were worthy of His love. The Frassati Fellowship has two chapters, one in Knoxville and one in Chattanooga, and is open to adults ages 18 to 39. In addition to an outdoor Mass, participants gathered for a potluck lunch and volleyball.

STEPHANIE RICHER

Notre Dame tennis duo wins state title The Notre Dame High School doubles team of J.R. Davis (left) and Charles Jabaley recently captured a state championship, while the Lady Irish tennis team finished as state runner-up. J.R. and Charles defeated Jacob Lorino and Stephen Lorino of Knoxville Catholic 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) in the title match. Earlier, the Notre Dame pair won its quarterfinal and semifinal matches in straight sets.

The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Notre Dame High School’s Howie Sompayrac resigned as athletics director April 8 after 15 years in the position. Mr. Sompayrac has accepted a job at St. Joseph School in Knoxville, where he will be the director of School Advancement. His wife, Cathy, has been offered an elementary teaching position there as well. During Mr. Sompayrac’s tenure, the Fighting Irish athletic teams experienced an unprecedented amount of success, earning seven state championships, five state runner-up finishes, 51 individual state champions (including track relays), and more than 50 team state Final Four finishes. The number of state champions and Final Fours (in the last 15 years) is more than in the previous 50year history of the school. “One of the things that I am most proud of is that we have had 13 different sports reach a state Final Four and/or state championship game in the last 15 years,” Mr. Sompayrac told Chattanoogan.com. “When I accepted the job 15 years ago, I received a call from Jon Keene (former Irish AD and statechampion baseball coach), and he said, ‘Do you want some unsolicited advice? To be the best AD you can be, you should treat every sport like you have a rising ninth-grade son or daughter that is about to play that sport at the school.’ That was some great advice that I have tried to live by the last 15 years.” ■

August 3, 2014 15

Catholic youth

Scouts recognized at St. John Neumann Monsignor Pat Garrity, Dr. Vejas G. Liulevicius, Lydia Donahue, and George LeCrone Sr., chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, made presentations of several religious awards at the 10 a.m. Mass on May 18 at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. Dr. Liulevicius announced the Light of Christ award for Boy Scouts Mason Burkhardt, Paul Liulevicius, Maksym Ulmer, and Ryan Preston and the Parvuli Dei award for David Schmidt. Mrs. Donahue announced a number of awards to American Heritage Girls. Receiving the I Live My Faith pin were C. Taylor Breeden, Mary Grace Donahue, and Margaret Walter. Clare Marie Donahue, Erin McIntyre, and Shannon McIntyre received the Marian Medal. The Spirit Alive Medal and the Pillar of Faith – Service to God award went to Meghan Donahue and Mary Walters. ■

16 August 3, 2014

KCHS’s Irish Ensemble earns honors The Knoxville Catholic High School Irish Ensemble recently participated in the J.B. Lyle Choral Festival at Pellissippi State Community College. The chorus was divided into three ensembles: a men’s ensemble, a women’s ensemble, and the full, mixed Irish Ensemble. These ensembles competed against other high school choirs from all over East Tennessee. Based on their performances, the Men’s Ensemble and the Women’s Ensemble received superior ratings and were invited to sing at a state festival in April. The KCHS choral instructor is Daniel Varnell. Scouting awards presented at St. Augustine Father Joseph Kuzhupil and George LeCrone Sr., chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, presented six girls with the Family of God medal and two boys with the Parvuli Dei medal at the 5:30 p.m. Mass on May 17 at St. Augustine Church in Signal Mountain. From left are Mr. LeCrone, Sophie Spinello, Meredith Wilson, William Wilson, Alaina Russell, Father Kuzhupil, Ellis Mitchum, Riley Barford, Jack DiMisa, Marissa McBrayer, and Heather Wilson, director of religious education at St. Augustine.

COURTESY OF GEORGE LECRONE SR.

Two-way starter Robert Kidwell III of the Notre Dame High School football team recently signed with Berry College. Robert totaled 67 solo tackles and 31 assists last fall with the Fighting Irish. He had 24 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, five fumbles caused, and one recovered fumble. He made All-District, Best of Preps, and All-State. He was awarded Scholar Athlete of the Year at NDHS and was asked to play on the Tennessee/ Georgia All-Star team. He had offers from Carson-Newman, the University of the Cumberlands, Tusculum, and Berry College before signing with Berry. ■

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE ERPENBACH

NDHS’s Kidwell signs with Berry

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

dioknox.org

we wish to see Jesus in your preaching. . . . We wish to see Jesus in your prayer as you celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours. . . . Raymond and Scott and Jesús, we wish to see Jesus in how you love the people of God.” Before the homily, the deacon candidates were called forward by Deacon Sean Smith, responding “present” to his call. “As you have said, ‘present,’ you’re giving your total life to the Lord with the gift of celibacy, again, not just a gift of saying I will be a bachelor, but the total embrace of the Church as the Church totally embraces you,” Bishop Stika said. In the next few months, “as you embrace the priesthood,” the new deacons will “get more and more of a glimpse of what it will mean to be a public person in the Church,” the bishop said. “The people have a right and an expectation to look at you and to see Jesus, but you cannot show Jesus unless you know Jesus. . . . In order to help fill other people with the words of God, and to fill people with the hope that comes to us from the sacraments, you yourself must be a person of prayer.” Bishop Stika again remembered Mr. Hendershott. “He’s a part of your class, but you can always pull rank on him because you three have been ordained before him,” he said. The ordinations of priests and deacons “are historic moments in our diocese,” the bishop said. “It just shows the vitality and the trust and the love that we have for the Lord as we are reminded of these words, ‘Jesus, we trust in you.’ And I trust in Jesus as he’s called the three of you to this moment that he will bring to your life a fulfillment of the joy of what it means to be a minister of the Gospel, a person who proclaims that Gospel both in word and in deed.” During the Rite of Ordination, the seminarians were called by Bishop Stika in the Election of Candidates and then were questioned by the bishop in the Promise of the Elect, where they took their vows of the diaconate. They then promised respect and obedience to the bishop, who laid his hands on them and gave the Prayer of Ordination. The new deacons then took part in the investiture with stole and dalmatic, where three priests assisted the deacons in putting on their diaconal stoles and dalmatics. Deacon Powell said that it was “very exciting” to finally see ordination day come. “It The East Tennessee Catholic

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Deacons continued from page 4

Diocese’s newest deacons From right, Deacons Jesús Guerrero-Rodríguez, Ray Powell, and Scott Russell

were ordained into the transitional diaconate in June and are scheduled to be ordained priests in 2015.

kind of snuck up on me, but it’s wonderful. It’s a real pleasure and joy to be able to serve the people of the Diocese of Knoxville,” he said. His ordination came after years of study at seminary. “I’ve had four years of study up in Milwaukee, a long way away, and I have another one, Michael Hendershott but being here in the Diocese of Knoxville makes it all worthwhile,” Deacon Powell said. Deacon Powell’s summer plans were set. “I’m serving at St. Augustine’s in Signal Mountain, and I’m getting a chance to learn how to be a good deacon,” he said. Deacon Russell said that ordination day “has been so long coming.” “It’s been five years of seminary,” he said. “I’ve been trying to grow in spirit and prayer and become who the Spirit made me today. It’s just amazing. The nerves I had before the Mass,

during the litany especially, it was like they were just carried away and just became peace and love.” Deacon Russell has resided at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga this summer. “I’ll be assisting there on the weekends as a deacon,” he said. “I’m working also at Memorial Hospital — I’m working with the chaplains there — and the Totus Tuus program as well.” Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga is the only Catholic hospital in East Tennessee. Deacon Guerrero-Rodríguez waited eight years for his diaconal ordination. “It’s been a long time, but it’s been worth it,” he said. During Mass he said he thought “about my family, about my brothers, the seminarians, my former classmates — those who decided to discern out, and now they are having beautiful families — so I was thinking about a lot of things about people.” Deacon Guerrero-Rodríguez has served at St. Mary in Oak Ridge this summer. “I’m helping mostly with the Hispanic community, but I’ll be serving all the people there,” he said. ■

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 17

Funeral Mass held for diocesan seminarian Jeff Emitt

iocese of Knoxville seminarian Jeff Emitt died July 16 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 61. Mr. Emitt was a longtime member of Holy Ghost Church, where he had played guitar for Sunday evening Masses. He also was a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus prior to joining the seminary. He entered the seminary in 2010 at age 57 after serving as a registered nurse for more than 15 years. He had been attending Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis., in preparation for becoming a priest until his illness forced him to take a leave of absence from studies after more than

three years. Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the funeral Mass for Mr. Emitt July 19 at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, with Monsignor Xavier Jeff Emitt Mankel and a number of diocesan priests concelebrating. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery. A number of deacons also were

present as was a Knights of Columbus honor guard. During his homily, Bishop Stika said Mr. Emitt was a very down-to-earth man with many talents who endured pain and suffering with his illness, humbly offering them in redemptive suffering for the Church and its people. Mr. Emitt’s family received friends July 18 at Lynnhurst Chapel of Berry Funeral Home in Knoxville, with a rosary following led by Monsignor Mankel. Mr. Emitt is survived by his parents, Hal and Gloria Jeanne Emitt; brother, Hal Jr.; children, Haley and Andrew; and grandchild, Dezmond L. King. “Jeff was a humble and honest man

tory. So it’s very important in our own marriages, in our families, as individuals, that we understand who wins, that the Lord does win.” In the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, “there is always this sharing of the analogy and metaphor and reality of marriage,” Mr. Pinto said. “It’s all through the holy Scriptures. When we speak about the fact of God wedded to us, it’s an analogy, but it’s the closest thing we have to understand what God desires for every single person, married person, widowed person, religious, whoever: that God wants to marry you. That’s the plan. He says, ‘I will espouse myself to you.’. . . ” “John Paul’s thesis was about the theology of the body. It’s bodies sharing a language, it’s sharing the fact that there’s a ‘weddedness’ that needs to take place between a man and a woman and God saying that’s what’s going on in the most holy Trinity.” That’s also “the vision we want to share with you from Familiaris Consortio, a letter to the families in the modern world,” Mr. Pinto said. “What he does in that, he goes back and he lays out for you a vision for the family, and that’s what The East Tennessee Catholic

JIMMY DEE

RCIA continued from page 9

Faith formation Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, director of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Knoxville, and Father David Carter, pastor of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga and associate director of vocations for the diocese, discuss points of faith during the RCIA Summer Conference June 21 at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City.

we’re sharing with you today. There’s a lot that’s in that. He wrote that in about 1980 or so, but where he starts is with the fact that we need to remember that we’re made in the image and likeness of God, the domestic Church. “That’s what makes us the domestic Church—we’re in the image, in the likeness of God. We’re a reflection

of the likeness of God—that’s what we need to know about marriage and the family. This is God’s plan to espouse himself to us.” Mr. Pinto added that “we can also reflect his image and likeness as a single person. John Paul speaks about that in a lot of places. He speaks about that in Familiaris Consortio—how priests, how re-

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

who sought to serve the Lord and the Church. His faith was his foundation and it was a hard-fought faith,” said Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Church in Kingsport and director of vocations for the Diocese of Knoxville. “I remember visiting him once at his family’s lake house while he was going through a round of chemo. We sat on the porch looking out over the lake and Jeff was disappointed and frustrated that he could not be at seminary. He turned to me and said, ‘But, I guess, this is my seminary right now.’ He never stopped learning and he never stopped seeking God in all things,” Father Cummins added. ■ ligious, how single people reflect the image and the likeness of the almighty God. The whole thing is about weddedness. It’s about getting that you’re married. So you’re married whether you’re single, if you’re widowed—you’re married to God.” Mrs. Pinto said “all of us have trials and tribulations in your domestic Church, your marriage, your family. Every family has quarrels, reconciliation, jokes, tears, intimacy, then distance, too many tasks, too little time. . . . The family has developed a complex interactive methodism to resolve these conflicts and nurture growth of each individual within the family. That’s what we do.” In Deuteronomy, “it tells us to take this faith that we have in and of our own person and activate this in your marriage, set your faith on fire, so that your children witness you loving God,” Mrs. Pinto said. “Our children know that Jim and I love God. My children know that we are going to follow him no matter what it costs. We both went to jail. We’ve been sued for $79 million for pro-life work, and guess what? I’m going to do that until the day I die.” ■ August 3, 2014 18

St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic breaks ground on garage, offices

he St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic will soon have a new home. The diocese broke ground July 1 for a 40-by-60-foot warehouse that will house the mobile clinic, which is a family physician’s office on wheels that provides free health care each month to the uninsured and underinsured of Washburn, Crab Orchard, and Athens. Bishop Richard F. Stika and Sister Mariana Koonce, RSM, MD, led the groundbreaking ceremony at the site next to the Church of Divine Mercy on Carmichael Road in West Knoxville. The bishop also blessed the site of the new headquarters. Joining the bishop and Sister Mariana in breaking ground were Bruce Bosse, president of Merit Construc-

tion; Dr. Tony Mardini; Sister Martha Naber, RSM, of Tennova Healthcare; Judy Schmidt, clinic volunteer; and Father Hoan Dinh, pastor of Divine Mercy, which serves the diocese’s Vietnamese Catholic community. Also attending were Brother Andrew Dinegar, CFA, and Susan Chill of the Alexian Brothers’ Community Outreach. Sister Mariana had many to thank in remarks made before the groundbreaking. “First of all is Merit Construction for taking on this project for us,” she said. “I want to thank also Father Hoan and the parish of Divine Mercy for allowing us to build on this site. We of course need to thank the Clinic continued on page 24

By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Facility for mobile medical unit will be on the Church of Divine Mercy campus in West Knox County

Digging in Bishop Richard F. Stika, center, is joined by, from right, Father Hoan

Dinh, clinic volunteer Judy Schmidt, Sister Mariana Koonce, RSM, MD, Sister Mary Martha Naber, RSM, Dr. Tony Mardini, and Bruce Bosse of Merit Construction for the St. Mary Legacy Clinic groundbreaking ceremony held on July 1 on the campus of Divine Mercy Catholic mission.

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August 3, 2014 19

s econd

c ollection By providing tuition support for our students, you are INVESTING in Catholic families of our Diocese and the future of our Church in East Tennessee. Thank you!

August 23 & 24, 2014

Donate online at dioknox.org/schools.

Over the past two years, more than $225,000 has been raised during the Diocese of Knoxvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Second Collection in support of our Catholic school students. As families continue to struggle in difficult economic times, the need for supplemental tuition support has grown over 40 percent since 2010â&#x20AC;&#x201D;last year a record $3 million was distributed! Through the generosity of our parishioners, we are able to fulfill a commitment to provide spiritual and intellectual growth to over 3,100 students in our two high schools and eight elementary/middle schools. Please prayerfully consider contributing to the Second Collection on August 23rd and 24th.

The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 20

Diocese schools in Chattanooga, Kingsport see new principals

The East Tennessee Catholic

said. “It was fun. It was just something special.” She said she hasn’t made many plans yet for retirement. “I tell people I’m going to play more tennis … I hope to pick up golf again; also maybe some traveling,” she said, joking that she and her husband are adjusting to spending so much more time together. Larry and Jeri McInturff are parishioners of OLPH. On a more serious note, Jeri said the two of them are “just going to enjoy each other, hopefully.” During Mrs. McInturff’s years as principal, “the enrollment has gone up, and we’ve added a pre-kindergarten. We’ve gotten into curriculum mapping. We’ve looked at best practices and made sure that we’ve gotten into the best practices. “It’s not what I’ve done, but what we have done as faculty. I think we’ve accomplished a lot. We’ve brought our technology up. The last thing I did was, I was excited that we won a $10,000 grant from the Osborn Foundation to help us buy a mobile iPad lab, and that was exciting. That was the last thing I did as principal that really was for the school, so I was really excited about that. We’ve done a lot, I think, all my colleagues and I. The school’s in a good place and it’s going to go even further.” Both Mrs. McInturff and Mrs. DePollo received farewell parties at their schools. Sister Mary Marta and St. Dominic pastor Father Mike Nolan were in attendance for Mrs. DePollo’s party, which she described as “very nice.” “There was food, of course,” Mrs. DePollo said, “and I got a few gifts, which were very nice, and they had made a banner of me and how many years I had been there, and it was very nice. Then I got to talk Principals continued on page 22

Leaving great students Debbie DePollo retired from St. Dominic School in Kingsport in June after 16 years of service.

BILL BREWER

wo diocesan elementary school principals retired following the 2013-14 school year, and each has a successor eager to step in and fill the role. Jeri McInturff stepped down at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga, and Sam Martin is the new principal there. Debbie DePollo retired from St. Dominic School in Kingsport, with Tucker Davis set to follow her. Superintendent of Catholic Schools Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, shared her gratitude for the outstanding service given to OLPH and St. Dominic School through the dedicated leadership of Mrs. McInturff and Mrs. DePollo. “Each of these ladies utilized their educational skills and knowledge to lead their schools respectively in a model of true discipleship and servant leadership,” Sister Mary Marta said. “This spirit of servant leadership is already evident in the new incoming leaders, Mr. Martin and Mr. Davis. Each of these gentlemen has already demonstrated his own devotion to our Catholic faith and commitment to the educational ministry of Catholic school education. I am excited about the future opportunities for both of these schools as Mr. Martin and Mr. Davis build on the strong foundation established by Mrs. McInturff and Mrs. DePollo while bringing their own individual gifts, talents and vision to the schools,” Sister Mary Marta added. Mrs. McInturff served at OLPH for nine years. That was enough time to see a kindergarten class go all the way through to the eighth grade. “My first kindergarten class was my last eighth-grade class,” Mrs. McInturff said. Seeing the class go through to the eighth grade “was exciting,” she

By Dan McWilliams

COURTESY OF DEBBIE DEPOLLO

Top educators at St. Dominic, Our Lady of Perpetual Help retire; successors eager to begin new year

Retiring from OLPH Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Principal Jeri McInturff, who retired in June, is shown with diocesan schools Superintendent Sister Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, at the school’s outdoor classroom in January 2014.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 21

Principals continued from page 21

with everyone.” Mrs. DePollo served 16 years as St. Dominic principal after taking the position in 1998. She said she has “too many plans” for retirement “because I really focused a lot on being a principal.” “So my husband [Mike] and I have a lot of things to do with our house that we’ve been wanting to do, and I just didn’t have time, so we’re probably going to do that and travel some. I’ve already gone to some relatives that we haven’t seen in a while and a high school reunion and things like that, so we’ve already been out of town numerous times.” Mrs. DePollo said one of her biggest accomplishments as principal was starting the Buddy System that pairs fifth-graders with preschoolers. “The next year, it worked out so well it was unbelievable how close those children got with their buddies, so I continued that every year, and that’s one thing I’ve heard the parents talk about the most.” Mrs. DePollo also enjoyed planning and carrying out service projects with the students, including a project that benefited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We did quite a few different things through the years—very numerous, but our main project was St. Jude’s,” she said. “We did a math-a-thon, we did a bike-a-thon, a trike-a-thon with the preschoolers. We would collect our Christmas cards—the front parts—and would send them in, and that would help a program where they could send ill children to a ranch if that was their wish.” Mrs. DePollo was able to see several kindergarten classes go through St. Dominic’s K-5 curriculum. This year she was proud of St. Dominic alumni who stood out academically at Dobyns-Bennett, SulThe East Tennessee Catholic

livan North, and Sullivan South high schools. “It was really exciting to see what they accomplished,” she said. Mr. Martin said he is “absolutely excited about Sam Martin my new job” as OLPH principal “and thrilled to be a part of the community.” “I’ve been working for a long time and with a lot of different leaders and to actually get the opportunity to put my own spin on things and make my mark—it’s really exciting,” he said. He noted that much of his time in his first year as administrator “will be spent learning – learning and working and getting a feel for the culture and fabric at OLPH. Personally, I have a passion for technology and technology integration, so I’m already looking at ways that we can streamline and work more efficiently through integration with different office tools, but also how the teachers can use technology in the classroom to adopt 21st-century methods into the classroom like Flipped Classroom.” Mr. Martin attended St. Mary School in Oak Ridge for grades one through six, “then after that I transferred over to the public school system and graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1995 and moved to Chattanooga, and haven’t found any good reason to leave. “I graduated from the University of Tennessee with an undergraduate in exceptional education, K-12, in 1999, then in ’11 I graduated with my master’s in educational leadership with my administration

license in school administration. I’ve worked for Hamilton County for 13 years.” During that time, Mr. Martin said, “I’ve worked at five different schools for eight different principals, and the entire time I’ve been Tucker Davis an exceptionaleducation teacher doing primarily inclusion. I’ve also handled gifted programs. My last assignment was two years at the Dawn Program for children with severe social, emotional, and behavioral disabilities.” Mr. Martin is a parishioner of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. “I’ve been there as a parishioner for about five or six years, and I’m an officer with Council 610 in the Knights of Columbus,” he said. He and his wife, Tiffany, recently celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary. “She’s a nurse at Parkridge Hospital in Chattanooga. I’ve got two beautiful children. Gracie is 6; she’ll be a first-grader here at OLPH. My son is Atticus; he’s just a little too early to make preschool, but he’ll be following in preschool a year after this.” OLPH has an external theme for 2014-15, Mr. Martin said. “It’s ‘They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.’ Part of that is that we want everybody outside of OLPH to know who we are by how awesome we are. We want to get our name and image out there, and one way that we’re involving ourselves in the technological advances and the initiatives here in Chattanooga is getting involved in the Maker Faire. “The Maker movement is all about using engineering and de-

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

sign and robotics and Legos, so it really lets the kids have fun, and we’re really going to try to focus on that, and I think we’ll have the opportunity to participate in the Battle Bot Competition in October. We’re really excited about that. I really want to get people excited. . . . As much as anything I want excitement and future growth to be on the tip of everybody’s tongue.” Mr. Davis said he is “very excited” to become the new St. Dominic principal. “It’s something that reached out and grabbed me, and the more I’m around it, the more I know it was the right decision,” he said. Mr. Davis is a product of Catholic schools. “I grew up in Nashville and attended Christ the King Catholic School through eighth grade and then went to Father Ryan High School and graduated from there,” he said. “There’s six in my family, and all six of us graduated from Father Ryan, as did my father. My brother Paul, as a matter of fact, is the principal of Father Ryan High School right now. “My educational background beyond that is I attended Tennessee Tech, where I met my wife, Tina. I got a degree in English-journalism. I also got a master’s in educational psychology, and I got that in 1982. I went back to school later in life, and I got a master’s in education in 2002 from Milligan College,” he said. His goals as principal are simple: “to grow our parish, grow our diocese, and grow our faith. I think we can do that through the school,” he said. Mr. Davis has been a member of St. Dominic Parish since 1983, “when my wife and I first moved to Kingsport. I began our membership at St. Dominic’s when we were attending Mass in the gym of the school because the church had burned down.” ■ August 3, 2014 22

ishop Richard F. Stika gave the sacrament of confirmation to nearly every Diocese of Knoxville parish during the spring. The sacrament was especially eagerly anticipated at one church, which held its first Mass of confirmation and first Holy Communion. Divine Mercy Catholic mission celebrated milestones for 21 of its youngest members June 15 as nine teens were confirmed and 12 younger children received their first Holy Communion. Some 250 members were in attendance at the Church of Divine Mercy, where the Vietnamese Catholic community was gathered in its new place of worship in West Knoxville. Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated the Mass, with Father Hoan Dinh, pas-

tor of Divine Mercy Catholic Mission, concelebrating. Deacon Jim Lawson assisted. The Divine Mercy community originated in the early 1990s and previously called Immaculate Conception Church and Knoxville Catholic High School home before moving to 10919 Carmichael Road last summer. Bishop Stika dedicated the church in November. Through a Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee grant, the Catholic mission was able to purchase the Carmichael Road property, formerly the home of Northstar Church, and move to a permanent location. Bishop Stika concluded the Mass with potentially exciting news for Divine Mercy. He announced that he is ready to recommend that Divine

NPH continued from page 1

their parents were murdered, the youngest Guzman children, five of them, were placed into a home by the government. Fortunately, all five lived together at a home called Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH). However, the tragedy and violence that existed outside the walls of NPH didn’t just evaporate. An older sibling not living at NPH was murdered due to an unpaid debt related to gang involvement and activity of the dead parents. Concern grew for the safety of the Guzman children living inside the Bishop continued from page 1

I want to change that. The story I offered at the beginning is based on fact. As Christians, we need to act. One concrete way of doing so is to support an organization that has worked for more than 60 years to support children in their home countries—places from where many of the border children are coming. Founded by a Catholic priest, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos has been providing love, guidance and The East Tennessee Catholic

BILL BREWER

Church of Divine Mercy holds inaugural first Communion, confirmation Mass

A first for Divine Mercy Young members of the Church of Divine Mercy are shown after receiving their first Holy Communion June 15 during a Mass celebrated by Bishop Richard F. Stika and concelebrated by Father Hoan Dinh.

Mercy be elevated to a parish from a mission based on its growth. The

news prompted applause from the members. ■

NPH facility in Honduras. To protect them, they were relocated. In time, and thanks to NPH, the poverty and violence they experienced gave way to a fruitful and thriving life for all five of the Guzman siblings. With NPH, they have a stable home and family life and a place to grow and learn, free from the fear of their childhoods. Eva, the oldest, is studying in her first year of university. She wants to become a social worker and help others in the way that she was once helped in her time of need. Then

there is Roxana, who is doing a year of service required by all NPH children after they become young adults. She is giving back by helping in the babies’ house. Roxana also is studying in an intensive high school program. Lucia is in her final year of high school and will begin her year of service next year. The two youngest siblings, Gabino and Lucina, are in secondary school. Theirs is a story of unimaginable loss and fear. Theirs is a story that is shared by the many thousands of chil-

dren who also are fleeing their home countries because of crushing poverty and crippling violence that is so often a result of poor living conditions. Fortunately for the Guzman siblings, their story has been infused with a happier theme. Thanks to the love, care and family atmosphere provided by NPH, the Guzmans now have the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty into which they were born. They now have the chance to change not only their lives— but to also positively transform the country in which they live. ■

care for abandoned and orphaned children in Central and Latin America since 1954. NPH does so in a Christian setting, with a spirit of family—allowing children to break the cycle of poverty and become productive citizens at home. I see how this may provide a positive alternative for them in their home countries, avoiding the need to make a perilous journey to arrive unwanted at a distant border. As your bishop, I am asking you

to consider helping these children before they become victims. Last year, I became an NPH sponsor of two boys in El Salvador. The cards, letters and photos I receive from them have filled me with a great sense of peace and happiness—knowing that these children will one day have a path to a good life at home. I invite your parish to consider hosting a sponsorship weekend and please give prayerful thought to sponsoring a child under the care of

NPH. You can do so by visiting my sponsorship website at www.nph usa.org/helpbishopstika. I also encourage you to read the accompanying article written by Ashley Siferd, a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Ashley recently returned home after spending one year as an NPH volunteer in El Salvador. Her story is both poignant and tragic—and it offers insight into why these children are seeking our help. ■

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 23

The East Tennessee Catholic

more time taking care of patients, which is what a clinic is supposed to do.” The clinic will have no shortage of patients, Sister Mariana said. “We are serving the poorest of the poor,” she said. “These are folks who have no access to health care, usually. They have no jobs sometimes, or they’re in and out of parttime jobs. I saw one lady I gave her a prescription-assistance form to get a diabetes medicine from the drug company. All she had to do was attach a tax return, and she said, ‘Doctor, how do you document zero? My husband is in and out of part-time work. We sell firewood and scrap metal to make ends meet. How do you document that to get this help?’” Bishop Stika said the “garage” for the Legacy Clinic will “match the design of the [Divine Mercy] church, so that it will blend quite nicely, because we didn’t want to build something that would be difficult for the parish to see when they gather here, so I think it’s appropriate that we do build here.” Also appropriate was the name of the church next to the clinic headquarters site, the bishop said. “The name of this church is the Church of Divine Mercy, and we have the Mercy Sisters involved in this. Also the whole concept of mercy is the reaching out of the Church to those who are most in need with compassion and love and with care, so I think this will even further the mission because of what happens in the building when we celebrate the Eucharist and all the wonderful activities of the Vietnamese community—their prayers will only reinforce the mission of the Church to care for the poorest of the poor and to be the face of Jesus to all that we reach.” Deacon Mike Gouge assisted the bishop during the blessing. After the ceremony, those present attended an open house at Divine Mercy and toured the mobile clinic. ■

OGETHER IN T ES

T RIS CH

members of the St. Mary’s Legacy Foundation board for their generosity for giving us both the seed money to buy the mobile clinic as well as the money to start this building project, and of course I want to thank all the volunteers who are here today. They are the core of this project and of the clinic, and they have been a great help the last six to eight months since we’ve been started. Also, I want to acknowledge the members of our own St. Mary’s Clinic board who are here.” Sister Mariana said the new building will be merely “a metal shed” but reminded listeners that “you have to look at the scope of what we’re trying to do, and it’s really about the mission, which is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus to East Tennessee.” She said that without a facility to house the clinic “it’s been quite the challenge just to do the things we’ve been needing to do to see these patients. “We received our mobile clinic in September of last year, and we were able to start seeing patients as of January, and we’ve been operating out of a rented space in a warehouse about 10 to 15 minutes from the Chancery. “If you’ve ever been involved in health care, and you think about everything that goes on from outside of the patient encounter, we’ve been trying to coordinate that between the Chancery, the warehouse, and our supplies, which are being stored in garages and other various locations around Knoxville. “We’re going out to three communities on a rotating schedule once a week, and there’s a lot of effort that goes into that to make it happen, and what this building is going to do is simplify and make our processes more efficient, more effective, and hopefully allow us to expand so that we can serve more communities. ... We can actually spend

FAM ILI

Clinic continued from page 19

C e l e b r at i n g t h e e x t r a o r d i na ry S y n o d o n t h e F a m i l y, o C t o b e r 5 - 1 9

MINISTRIES DAY 2014

T.18 C O , Y A SATURD red Heart • Knoxville

f the Sac 9:30am-3:30pm • Cathedral o udes Lunch n, Incl $20/Perso

Registration forms available from parishes and at www.dioknox.org.

op e n to a l l w h o Sha r e t h e C at h ol iC Fa i t h … pa r e n t S & St u de n t yo u t h l e a de r S yo u t h m i n i S t e r S & C or e t e a m S A d u lt E d u c Ator s • rc IA t E A m s di r e C tor S oF r e l i g i o u S e d u C at ion l i t u rg y & m i n i S t ry t e a m S C at e C h i S t S & aS Si S ta n t S

For more information contact: Fr. riChard armStrong Assistant Director of Christian Formation, Diocese of Knoxville (865) 584-3307 rarmstrong@dioknox.org

SuSan CollinS DRE & YM at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Greeneville (423) 639-9381 / (423) 470-2560 scollins51@hotmail.com

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August 3, 2014 24

Saturday, September 20, 2014 8:30am - 3:30pm St. Thomas the Apostle Lenoir City, TN

PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE

Presented by the St. Luke Guild of East Tennessee

SPEAKERS John M. Haas, Ph.D., S.T.L., K.M. President, National Catholic Bioethics Center

Gail-Marie Walter, MD Family Practice Physician, Summit Medical Group

SCHEDULE 8:30-9:15 9:15-9:30 9:30-10:30 10:30-10:45 10:45-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00-12:45 12:45-1:45 1:45-2:00 2:00-2:15 2:15-3:15 3:15-3:30 3:30-3:35

Registration Introductory Remarks Principles of Catholic Ethics - Dr. Haas Q&A Break Celebration of White Mass with Bishop Richard Stika Lunch (provided by the St. Luke Guild) Establishing the NFP-Only Practice - Dr. Walter Q&A Break Case Studies in Catholic Medical Ethics - Dr. Haas Q&A Closing Prayer

This conference is designed to help physicians, nurses and other health care professionals provide culturally competent care by appropriately integrating faith-based medicine into their clinical practice, especially as it relates to ethical decision-making.

REGISTRATION Early Bird Registration (before September 1st): $35 - Physicians (MD/DO); $25 - Nurses/Other Health Professionals; $15 - General Public Regular Registration (after September 1st): $45 - Physicians (MD/DO); $30 - Nurses/Other Health Professionals; $20 - General Public FREE for all priests, deacons, and religious Please register online by September 15th at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/putting-faith-into-practice-tickets-12335123687

For more information please contact the St. Luke Guild at stlukeguildeasttn@gmail.com or 865.212.5570.

The East Tennessee Catholic

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

August 3, 2014 25

Living the readings

Weekday readings

Making it through rough times

Friday, Aug. 1: Jeremiah 26:1-9; Psalm 69:5, 8-10, 14; Matthew 13:54-58 Saturday, Aug. 2: Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Psalm 69:1516, 30-31, 33-34; Matthew 14:1-12 Sunday, Aug. 3: Isaiah 55:13; Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew 14:13-21 Monday, Aug. 4: Jeremiah 28:1-17; Psalm 119:29, 43, 79-80, 95, 102; Matthew 14:22-36 Tuesday, Aug. 5: Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23; Matthew 14:22-36 Wednesday, Aug. 6: Feast, the Transfiguration of the Lord, Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97:1-2. 5-6, 9; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Matthew 17:1-9 Thursday, Aug. 7: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 16:13-23 Friday, Aug. 8: Nahum 2:1, 3 and 3:1-3, 6-7; Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41; Matthew 16:24-28 Saturday, Aug. 9: Habakkuk 1:12–2:4; Psalm 9:8-13; Matthew 17:14-20 Sunday, Aug. 10: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13; Psalm 85:914; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33 Monday, Aug. 11: Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28; Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14; Matthew 17:22-27 Tuesday, Aug. 12: Ezekiel 2:8–3:4; Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 Wednesday, Aug. 13: Ezekiel 9:1-7 and 10:18-22; Psalm 113:1-6; Matthew 18:15-20 Thursday, Aug. 14: Ezekiel, 12:1-12; Psalm 78:56-59, 6162; Matthew 18:21–19:1; vigil Mass for the Assumption, 1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16 and 16:1-2; Psalm 132:6-7, 9-10, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:5457; Luke 11:27-28 Readings continued on page 27

26 August 3, 2014

by Father Joseph Brando

Many lessons are learned about God’s abundant love

ugust is known for its long hot days and sweaty boring nights that made kids wish school were back in session. Schools, in Tennessee at least, have accommodated this desire and have welcomed the children back ever earlier each year, making today’s students regret the ill-conceived desires of their ancestors in primary and high school. August also is a vacation month and a time to get away from work to take a breather. The liturgical readings fit the August environment to a tee. There is the hint of tremendous doings in the near future as well as the need “to get away from it all.” Let’s look first at the Old Testament and Gospels for each of the five Sundays in August and then examine the thoughts of Paul, starting with the end of Romans’ eighth chapter to the beginning of the 12th, highlights of which form the New Testament readings this month. In the first reading of the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time we find Isaiah speaking to the Jewish deportees in Babylon. They’ve lost everything in their lives except their talents and, perhaps, their belief in God. Belief is what the prophet was concerned about and spoke about to the exiles. Everyone knew that every nation that was deported en masse, like the Jews were, faded out of existence along with their religion. What could they do? Isaiah’s answer was surprising. First, they were to drink and eat freely. In effect, they were to take advantage of the upscale Babylonian society and make themselves rich even if it meant their conquerors would grow in wealth with them. Second, at the same time, they were to heed the Lord. God would bless them in this foreign land until Babylon would

“The Apostles learned the lesson that when the Son of God blesses their endeavors, they will be successful beyond estimate. be destroyed by their enemies and the Jews could return freely to their own homeland to the astonishment of the whole world. The Gospel for today begins a cycle in Matthew’s Gospel where Jesus withdraws. That’s a biblical way of saying he wanted to take a vacation. Today’s passage has Jesus going to what Matthew calls a “deserted place.” It wasn’t deserted for long. A large crowd followed him and the Lord had to give in to their desire to hear him speak. So, school was coming back into session for the Twelve. Their initial class was tough. Jesus instructed them to feed the crowd even though it was huge and they only had five loaves and two fish. They were stumped by the task put to them. Jesus had their attention. He blessed the meager meal and gave it back to the Twelve to distribute to the crowd. Amazingly, they fed all 5,000 men there with an overabundance of 12 wicker baskets. The Apostles learned the lesson that when the Son of God blesses their endeavors, they will be successful beyond estimate. On the next Sunday, the Old Testament reading tells us the story of Elijah at his cave on Mount Horeb. He already had defeated and slaughtered the 450 priests of Baal that Jezabel had introduced into Israel to establish her national religion in the Holy Land. In modern parlance, Elijah was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He needed to know where God was.

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God promised that he would show himself. As Elijah waited, he saw rocks crushed by a driving wind followed by an earthquake, followed, in turn, by a fire. Yet, he did not sense God’s presence in any of those phenomena. Then, he heard a tiny whispering sound. Elijah realized God was present and discerned he was the object of God’s love. That cleared his mind and he was ready to return to Israel to do God’s work. The Gospel for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time takes place the evening after the events of the previous Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus told the Apostles to take the boat and cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He stayed behind to pray. If the disciples thought Jesus was still looking for peace and quiet, they soon found out otherwise, for they encountered a death-threatening storm. Lesson two of their summer school session was learning what to do when they were afraid. They looked out on the sea and witnessed Jesus coming towards them. Matthew relates that this apparition scared them even more. Jesus had to speak to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” I don’t believe any in the boat forgot Jesus’ admonition. Perhaps it’s one of the most important commandments that Jesus gave us. When He is present, we are not to fear. On the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time, we go back to Isaiah in Babylon. God offers a concept to Isaiah that could have changed Judaism forever. Only in Christianity was it finally fulfilled. Foreigners would be made joyful. They will minister to the Lord. To do so, they needed to serve the Lord, keep the Sabbath, and live within a Covenant relationship with God. What a change! The conquered Jews, instead of adopting the Babylonian myths and religion, would convert the victors to their religion.

Apostles continued on page 27 dioknox.org

Apostles continued from page 26

The Gospel starts off by declaring that Jesus is again withdrawing. This time he leaves Israel and enters the vicinity of towns in present day Lebanon. Soon enough, wouldn’t you know, a woman recognizes him and asks that he heal her daughter. Jesus makes it obvious that he is really taking a rest. He, long ago, discovered that one miracle quickly generates a crowd. So, he rudely tells the lady it is not right to throw the food of children to the dogs. Without blinking an eye, she retorted that even dogs are allowed to eat scraps from the family table. The Gospel does not say this, but my mind generates the picture of Jesus laughing a huge guffaw as he relents and, with a lingering smile, heals the child from afar. The Apostles received another lesson about the infinite bounty of God’s goodness. On the 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, we are introduced to the meaning of the term “key.” It means “authority.” Eliakim is identified by no less than God to be the leader of His people. He is given a “key” by God to symbolize his newly given power. In the Gospel, Peter is given keys to the kingdom of heaven. There is a point of authority in the kingdom Jesus is establishing. It is symbolized in the keys possessed by Peter. It’s interesting that Jesus’ presentation of the keys occurs in a place of relaxation. Caesarea Philippi is still a beautiful place. Herod had built a summer palace there. The locale, in the Golan Heights, is resplendent with trees and waterfalls. It is situated at the headlands of the Jordan River, lush and cool in the depths of summer. The water there bubbles. It was venerated by the Greeks as a place of living water. Peter may be led by these surroundings to call Jesus the Son of the living God. Peter obviously took his lessons to heart and received the keys

27 August 3, 2014

as his reward. The last Sunday of August is the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time. Jeremiah is the subject of this passage. He found out, after the fact of his becoming a prophet, that this life was not filled with a lot of fun. He complains that he had been duped by God. He doesn’t like being laughed at. He doesn’t like having to announce bad news. The last of his list of complaints is that, whenever he tried to get out of his position, his heart burned with fire. He is stuck being what he is. That is the nature of a prophet. They wrestle with God. Jesus has a “Jeremiah” moment in today’s Gospel when Peter counsels him to avoid crucifixion. Jesus calls Peter (the one with the keys) a Satan for trying to make his life easier and less painful. Infinite love is what motivates the Lord. Everyone who has truly loved knows it can be painful. So, the message that Jesus presents at beautiful Caesarea Philippi is that he will be heading for Jerusalem in order to die for us. That would be his most beautiful gesture for us – to accomplish our salvation. That is the lesson we all must learn. Decades later, Paul is asked by the Christian community in Rome to sum up his thoughts about our religion. He had all the time and peace he needed. The result is his Epistle to the Romans. In the August liturgical readings there are five snippets from that deep work of art and wisdom. The first of these might have been a meditation on the scene at Caesarea Philippi. Who will separate us from the love of God? The short answer is: nothing. The love of God is inseparable from us. He already suffered death for us proving his point. In the reading, Paul does admit that life has made him remorseful. His own people, the Jews, have not accepted Christ. That is what saddens him. However, on the other side of the same coin his glory is that gentiles are accepting Christ through his

preaching. In fact, he can say that because of the rejection of Christ by the Jews, then the gentiles can be reconciled with God. Paul then adds it up and writes “because God delivered all to disobedience that he might have mercy on all.” Soon after that statement Paul is led to write, “how inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!” In the last quote of the month Paul applies what he wrote about God to the individual Christian. He concludes that we should “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” As far as our lives in this world, Paul’s admonition stands as apt for our society as it was for his. “Do not conform yourselves to this age [an age of comfort…a throwaway age] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that you may discern what is the Will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” Perhaps, you’ve noticed that something has been missing. Within the heat of August and the deep agonizing, there is a garden of relief that takes the form of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its message is a cool breath of fresh air proclaiming the greatness of the Lord. She tells us how great the Lord is to us by admitting that the Lord has been good to her. She responded to God’s graciousness by serving as the model mother of the Lord as well as his most loving disciple. At the cross, Jesus gave her to us as mother of the Church. As we enter Christ’s life in baptism, we become her children as she is the mother of the Lord. So, all the tension of the Sunday readings finds meaning and joy as we learn that a real human being like us is body and soul in heaven and can care for us as only a caring mother would. That’s a great lesson for us to learn in our August session. ■

Readings continued from page 26 Friday, Aug. 15: Solemnity, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Revelation 11:19 and 12:16, 10; Psalm 45:10-12, 16; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:39-56 Saturday, Aug. 16: Ezekiel 18:110, 13, 30-32; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 19:13-15 Sunday, Aug. 17: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28 Monday, Aug. 18: Ezekiel 24:1523; Deuteronomy 32:18-21; Matthew 19:16-22 Tuesday, Aug. 19: Ezekiel 28:110; Deuteronomy 32:26-28, 30, 35-36; Matthew 19:23-30 Wednesday, Aug. 20: Ezekiel 34:1-11; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 20:1-16 Thursday, Aug. 21: Ezekiel 36:23-28; Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19; Matthew 22:1-14 Friday, Aug. 22: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 107:2-9; Matthew 22:34-40 Saturday, Aug. 23: Ezekiel 43:1-7; Psalm 85:9-14; Matthew 23:1-12 Sunday, Aug. 24: Isaiah 22:1923; Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20 Monday, Aug. 25: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12; Psalm 96:1-5; Matthew 23:13-22 Tuesday, Aug. 26: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17; Psalm 96:1013; Matthew 23:23-26 Wednesday, Aug. 27: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18; Psalm 128:1-2, 4-5; Matthew 23:27-32 Thursday, Aug. 28: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Psalm 145:2-7; Matthew

24:42-51

Friday, Aug. 29: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25; Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 1011; Mark 6:17-29 Saturday, Aug. 30: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Psalm 33:12-13, 18-21; Matthew 25:14-30 Sunday, Aug. 31: Jeremiah 20:79; Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27 ■

Father Brando is a retired priest of the Diocese of Knoxville.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

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Once upon a time

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

Road to heaven should be traveled with love Incorporating Scripture into a trip, regardless of the distance, will deepen your spiritual journey

bout two millennia ago, a teenaged Jewish girl (shall we name her Miriam?) who lived in the northern third of the Holy Land (Galilee) got wind that her older cousin, Elizabeth, who lived in the hill country in the southern third of Palestine (Judea), was expecting a baby. The distance between them was approximately the distance between Jellico and Knoxville. The younger lady also was with child. How to arrange a visit? The terrain was about the same as today, but there were no paved roads, only trails. Some were wider, some more narrow for people and caravans who traveled up and down these roads, mostly for commerce and sometimes for pilgrimage to celebrate the great feasts of the Hebrew faith. Today, we compare the convenience of travelling Interstate 75 with old U.S. 25, which was a wider paved version of wagon trails that had developed from travelers’ trails and Native American footpaths. The road from Galilee to Judea was even rougher. So here we have a pregnant teenager (was she traveling alone?) walking those 75 or 80 miles to see her kinswoman. In all of history there was no greater act of hospitality than the rapport which Miriam and Elizabeth exhibited. The knock on the door came and cousins greeted. The elder lady, the hostess, was amazed by the visit and exclaimed about the wonder that the “mother of my Lord should come to me, for at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy.” St. Luke, who tells us this story, tells us twice within just a few The East Tennessee Catholic

PIcking up Mary along the road of life (and keeping her in our life) can be an activity that enables our earthly journeys to be enriched and our heavenly trip, too. lines about this Jumping John and we use these lines from Scripture to indicate the theological opinion that at that moment Cousin John was freed from original sin. He had had it from conception, but he was “baptized” before birth. This is one reason why the Church celebrates the solemnity of the birth of John the Baptist. We celebrate in the liturgy the birth of only two others: our blessed Lord on Dec. 25 and Mary, the Mother of God, on Sept. 8. After a long visit, Miriam returned to her home in Galilee. She would make a similar trip soon when she and her husband went to Jerusalem to register for the census. While they were in Bethlehem, her son was born. As we fast forward into our own 21st century, there are similarities and there are differences. The roadways have been improved. What used to take days now takes only hours or even minutes. We do not walk from town to town, nor even use bicycles. No, we travel by automobile or by train, bus, or plane to reach our destinations. Our visitations may be for just a few hours or days (at Christmas, New Year, Easter, or Thanksgiving) or last longer like on summer vacation when we visit grandparents or other friends for longer periods of time. Some vans or SUVs are places of learning, entertainment, and joy (the family

that prays together stays together); others find the vehicle the worst part of the experience: parents arguing, children squabbling, fussing about food, “are we there yet,” and other elements that add to the misery. Christian families should see in the vacation trip an opportunity to enhance community, deepen prayer life, and promote the virtue of love. Anything less than this is a real waste of God’s gift of time and makes us miserable. To include the story of the Visitation among our travel stories, indeed re-reading the accounts found in the Infancy Narratives (St. Matthew 1 and 2 and St. Luke 1 and 2) would be an excellent practice for any family or other group as travel occurs. Trips made more regularly, like going to work or to Mass can make us or break us spiritually. The commute to or from school can be a great opportunity for growth. Unfortunately, it can also be the venue for yelling, fighting, and general unhappiness. Try this sometime: pretend that you see a teenage girl thumbing a ride as you overtake her along a road. You have room for her in your van or car. Imagine scenarios. This can occupy a family for hours. In any case, do hope that the Visitation once upon a time can be helpful to you and yours today. Yes, picking up Mary along the road of life (and keeping her in our life) can be an activity that enables our earthly journeys to be enriched and our heavenly trip, too. ■ Monsignor Mankel is a vicar general and the historical archivist for the Diocese of Knoxville.

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Father Gahagan to pastor churches in Norris, Helenwood Bishop Richard F. Stika has named Father William Gahagan pastor of St. Joseph Church in Norris and St. Jude Church in Helenwood effective Aug. 1. Father Gahagan has been parochial administrator of St. Jude while in retirement. He informed Bishop Stika of his desire to come out of retirement and again serve as a priest with full responsibilities. Bishop Stika also announced that Father Tony Budnick will continue to provide ministerial support to St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville until Jan. 1. Deacon Mike Gouge, who has served at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, has been assigned to serve at Holy Ghost Church with Father John Dowling and Father John Orr, Bishop Stika announced. Joining Deacon Gouge will be Deacon Gordon Lowery, who Bishop Stika also assigned to Holy Ghost. Deacon Lowery has been serving at Holy Trinity Church in Jefferson City. ■

Want to try online delivery? The East Tennessee Catholic offers online delivery for those who wish to receive a digital copy and discontinue the print edition. Sign up for online delivery at bit.ly/subscribe-online. If you decide online delivery isn’t for you, you can return to a print subscription at any time. If you have questions, e-mail mhunt@ dioknox.org. ■

August 3, 2014 28

Marriage enrichment

Upcoming Virtus training sessions The Diocese of Knoxville’s program for the protection of children, youth and vulnerable adults is offered throughout the diocese. The seminars are required for parish and school employees and regular volunteers in contact with children and vulnerable adults. The following training sessions are scheduled: ■ Divine Mercy Catholic Mission, Knoxville, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5; ■ St. Henry Church, Rogersville, 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10; ■ Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11; ■ St. Joseph School, Knoxville, 9 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13; ■ St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16; ■ All Saints Church, Knoxville, 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23; ■ Immaculate Conception, Knoxville, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9; ■ St. Augustine, Signal Mountain, 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13; ■ St. Dominic Church, Kingsport, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, session will be conducted in Spanish; ■ St. Mary, Athens, 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20; ■ St. Jude Church, Chattanooga, noon Thursday, Sept. 25; ■ St. Mary Church, Johnson City, 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25. ■

29 August 3, 2014

by Marian Christiana

Home really is a holy place Finding new ways to communicate this message more effectively

have just returned from the National Association of Family Life Ministers (NACFLM) annual conference. The theme this year was “Home is a Holy Place,” which was perfectly timed to tie into the emphasis Pope Francis has placed on the Church and clergy regarding ministering to, and communicating with, families in all of their different arrangements and configurations. This got me to thinking about how families now communicate internally in this rapidly changing technological age. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and no matter what, every single family is holy. But it is sometimes difficult to remember that our families are holy when we seem more connected to our computers, cell phones and iPads than we do to each other. Families today are experiencing a cultural tidal wave of communication methods that wash away the old bridges of family connections. Those everyday connections were built on verbal communication for the most part and we took them for

granted. Today, basic forms of communication have been reduced to text messages or snap chats, tweets or Instagram photos. How are we supposed to encourage, enrich and inspire a faith-centered family life when no one will put down their cell phone? I am sure the invention of the telephone caused uproar and consternation in its day, too. We need to rethink how we share the presence of Christ in our homes and embrace the new electronic devices to do it. Here are some thoughts on how we might be able to do just that: Consider texting a daily Scripture quote in a family group message, or send along information about the saint of the day in a message. At dinner ask your family members for their reflections on the Scripture passage or life of the saint. Discuss any correlation between the Scripture reading, or the saint of the day, and what is going on in their lives right now. If your family likes to use snap chats, send them pictures of a religious article around your house.

Ask them to identify the object and what room it is in. Later, share with them where the item came from, why it is displayed in your home and why it is important. These are two very simple ideas on how to use technology to reinforce to your loved ones that your family is Christ-centered. The main point here is to think about what is already happening in our homes, find the sacredness in it, and reinforce its sacredness to our families in any way that we can. There is holiness in our dayto-day family life but we have to put down our own cell phones or close down our own computers and look around to notice it. Remember, “Home is a Holy Place” when we welcome Christ as an active member of our family, no matter how we communicate with one another or what the shape and the size of our family might be. ■

Mass continued from page 3

cove on the lake before the Mass and anchor a houseboat there that serves as the central point for the Mass. A potluck dinner followed the Mass at the home of parishioner Rose Kern. Father Campbell first held a boat Mass in Lenoir City at the request of a Catholic women’s group. When he first arrived in LaFollette, he realized it was an even larger boating community. Many participants are from out of town and have seasonal homes on Norris Lake. “They love getting out on the lake,” Father Campbell said. “And

if they can avoid coming into town and getting dressed up, they’re all for it.” The June 21 boat Mass marked two milestones for Father Campbell. It was the 15th anniversary of his ordination as a priest and his achievement of 165 pounds of weight lost since January. And his divine streak in the weather department still holds for the marine Masses. “We’ve never been rained out, although today came close,” Father Campbell said as he laughed, referring to a thunderstorm that had passed through the area an hour before the Mass. ■

Manuela Ptacek, a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and assistant to Father Campbell in coordinating the boat Mass, said it required work to make the unique Mass happen. “The biggest challenge is trying to get all the boats lined up,” she said, explaining that the Mass is advertised at Flat Hollow Marina in Campbell County, where Father Campbell keeps his boat docked and where boaters watch for announcements. Some boaters call the parish to ask when the date of the Mass will be. OLPH parishioners secure a

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office.

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Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

The Synod on the Family Praying for the pope and bishops as they address how the Church can live more fully the sacrament of reconciliation

ope Francis, recognizing the enormous challenges facing the family, has called the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to consider “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.” The synod will meet Oct. 5-19. In preparation for the synod, the Vatican sent out a questionnaire last October. The responses to the questionnaire have been distilled into what is known as the instrumentum laboris, or working document, the beginning of a profound reflection by the world’s bishops. This working document consists of three parts. Part I is entitled “Communicating the Gospel of the Family in Today’s World,” Part II “The Pastoral Program for the Family in Light of New Challenges,” and Part III “An Openness to Life and Parental Responsibility in Upbringing.” One of the topics considered in Part I is the liturgical-sacramental life of the family. A concern expressed by most of the questionnaire responses was “the need of living the Sacrament of Reconciliation” (Instrumentum Laboris, n. 42). In this month’s column I would like to reflect on this concern and give some background to the current situation. In 1946, Pope Pius XII stated “the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” St. John Paul II quoted this statement in his 1984 apostolic exhortation Reconciliation and Penance and asserted, “The sacrament of penance is in crisis.” At the close of the Great Jubilee Year of 2000 he again acknowledged “the crisis of ‘the sense of sin’ in today’s culture”

(Novo Millennio Ineunte, 37). At that time he proposed to the universal Church as a pastoral priority encouraging “persuasively and effectively” the sacrament of reconciliation. In Reconciliation and Penance (n. 18) St. John Paul II discusses at length various factors that have have contributed to this crisis of “the sense of sin” and of the sacrament of confession. He begins by looking at four social-cultural factors that contribute to this loss of the sense of sin. First, he notes the influence of a secularism that emphasizes production, consumerism and pleasure-seeking and reduces sin to anything that offends man. Teachings that place the blame for sin upon society or the influences of environment and historical conditioning and declare the individual free of all responsibility are a second factor. Added to this is a denial that certain actions or attitudes are always wrong and sinful—everything is relative, there are no absolutes. Finally, he noted a false identification of sin with “a morbid feeling of guilt or with the mere transgression of legal norms and precepts”—breaking the rules rather than hurting a relationship rooted in love. In addition to these factors, St. John Paul II also acknowledges certain trends in the thought and life of the Church that “inevitably favor the decline of the sense of sin.” In some cases, he observes, a tendency to see sin everywhere has been replaced by a failure to recognize it anywhere. Also, an exaggerated emphasis on the fear of eternal punishment has given way “to preaching a love of God that excludes any punishment deserved by sin.” Finally, some have passed “from severity

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in trying to correct erroneous consciences…to a kind of respect for conscience excluding the duty of telling the truth.” A third set of factors noted by the saint concern sacramental practice. Sin has both an individual and a communal dimension—it wounds our relationship with God, and it hurts our relationship with others and the Church. Today, notes the saint, there is “the tendency to obscure the ecclesial significance of sin and of conversion and to reduce them to merely personal matters; or vice versa, the tendency to nullify the personal value of good and evil and to consider only their community dimension.” Finally, he notes “the danger, never totally eliminated, of routine ritualism that deprives the sacrament of its full significance and formative effectiveness” (18). What is needed, he says, is “a rediscovery of Christ as…the one in whom God shows us his compassionate heart and reconciles us fully with himself. It is this face of Christ that must be rediscovered through the sacrament of penance.” In February, Pope Francis exhorted the faithful, “Be courageous, and go to confession.” “Forgiveness,” he said, “is a gift of the Holy Spirit who showers us with mercy and grace that pours forth unceasingly from the open heart of Christ crucified and risen.” Let us pray for the pope and the bishops as they address how the Church can live more fully the sacrament of reconciliation. ■

Father Stice is pastor of St. Mary Church in Athens and directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org. Follow the diocese on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ knoxdiocese

The Diocese of Knoxville Living our Roman Catholic faith in East Tennessee

Catholic Charities has opening for development director Catholic Charities of East Tennessee has an opening for a director of development. The director of development promotes the mission of CCETN by seeking and obtaining private gifts, grants and other funding and by developing and implementing plans to increase the number and scope of funding sources. Reporting directly to the executive director, the director of development plans, directs, and coordinates all development activities, major fundraising activities and special projects. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field is required along with experience and demonstrated success in fundraising, planning, coordinating and executing fundraising events. For information or to send a resumé, contact: Catholic Charities of East Tennessee 3009 Lake Brook Blvd. Knoxville, TN 37909 or phone 865-524-9896

Funeral services held for Norah E. Ross Hut Norah E. Ross Hut, a longtime correspondent for The East Tennessee Catholic newspaper who was a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City, died June 22 on her 98th birthday. Born June 22, 1916, in New York City to Anne Gertrude Seery and Arthur Patrick Ross, Mrs. Hut is survived by her children, Martha Anne Hut and husband Jon Rosen of Colorado, Edith Jane and husband David Barnes of Georgia, Ann Christine and husband Clarence Hill of Knoxville, and Peter Ross and wife Joanne Hut of Murfreesboro; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The funeral Mass was held June 25 at Holy Trinity Church with Father Dan Whitman officiating. Burial was in Jarnigan Cemetery. ■

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Upcoming Synod of Bishops seeks frank, open discussion of issues Attention the extraordinary gathering is getting in Church and media isn’t surprising

Housing continued from page 6

changed its priorities away from placing people in larger group homes in favor of placing them in supported living arrangements where there are no more than three residents and a manager to oversee them in a home. So Sumner Special Housing, using the model Johnson learned working with Habitat for Humanity, started building four-bedroom homes to house three residents and the house manager, he said. They have built two homes in Portland, Tenn., one in Gallatin and one in Bethpage, Tenn., all in Sumner County. Sumner Special Housing raises the money to build the homes before buying the materials and starting construction, Johnson said. “We’re trying to maintain it so we’re debt free,” he said. Each of the homes cost about $170,000 to build, according to John-

31 August 3, 2014

and up to 30 observers, more than half comprised of married couples -- who will be encouraged to address the assembly, the

cardinal said. Cardinal Baldisseri said he is not surprised by all the attention the synod is

getting in the Church and the media, because “the problems of the family are what people are dealing with every day.” He knows there are “great expectations,” and he is pleased about that, although he has cautioned repeatedly that decisions about the church’s pastoral approach to families are not expected until after the 2015 synod gathering. The synod is a gathering of bishops, he said, but the preparatory questionnaire distributed in October 2013 and summarized in the synod working document that was published in June demonstrated a desire to hear from the grassroots. The big change from past synods is that the voting members of the extraordinary synod will be asked to submit their presentations in writing at least two weeks before the meeting opens, the cardinal said. “This is not to limit the discussion, but to help organize it,” he said, adding that the report opening the synod, which used to be a rephrasing of the synod working document, now will be a first summary of the bishops’ submissions. ■

son. Most of the materials used are purchased at discounted costs, and Knights provide volunteer labor, he noted. “Our build schedule is a little bit longer than Habitat,” which usually builds a home in four weeks, Johnson said. “We tend to do it over a six-week period” with volunteers working weekends and a few nights during the week. “Our homes are very basic, but they’re very functional as well,” Johnson said. “We try to build them with the idea to make them as easy to maintain as possible.” Once construction is complete, Sumner Special Housing turns over the homes to Habilitation and Training Services in Gallatin, also known as HATS, to manage. Besides providing someone to manage the house, HATS provides the residents transportation to a job,

or employs them at its workshop in Gallatin doing work the agency contracts for with various companies, Johnson said. “That provides them meaningful work, and they get paid for what they do there.” Currently, all four houses are full, Johnson said. Sumner Special Housing continues to raise money to build a new home to meet the need for housing in Sumner County whenever it arises and to maintain the homes it already has built, Johnson said. Much of that money has come from the Tootsie Roll Drives sponsored by the councils at Our Lady of the Lake and St. John Vianney over the years. However, fewer and fewer stores allow the Knights to stand at their doors to take donations and hand out Tootsie Rolls, King said. So the MR Foundation is encouraging

councils all over Tennessee to develop other ideas for raising funds, he said. “The shift is starting to happen,” King said, as councils have been hosting all kinds of dinners, barbecues, car shows and concerts. “Anything that you can think of that you can have fun doing and raise money is on the table.” His home council at St. Francis of Assisi put on a dinner theater with the choir from nearby St. Benedict High School, King said. The MR Foundation is asking all councils across the state to put on a fundraising event in the first week of August leading up to the annual taxfree weekend, King said. Councils “can do more than one event,” King said. “The important thing is 100 percent participation of the councils” in fundraising for the foundation, he said. ■

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

VATICAN CITY — The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will be shorter than a usual synod and will include new rules aimed at helping the bishops really grapple with the issues together, said the general secretary of the synod. “We want a frank, open, civilized discussion,” Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri told Catholic News Service July 25. The extraordinary synod will meet at the Vatican Oct. 5-19, bringing together the presidents of national bishops’ conferences, the heads of Eastern Catholic churches and Vatican officials. The world Synod of Bishops, which will include more bishops -- many elected by their peers -- will meet at the Vatican Oct. 4-25, 2015, to continue the discussion on pastoral approaches to the challenges facing families today. Although the number of participants in the extraordinary synod is smaller, it will include a dozen or more voting members named by the pope, three priests chosen by the Union of Superiors General, a dozen or more expert advisers, about a dozen representatives of other Christian churches

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Synod briefing Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, relator for the October extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family, speaks with Italian Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, synod general secretary. The working document for the synod scheduled to start in October was released during a press conference.

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FARGO, N.D. (Catholic News Service) — Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said Pope Francis has accepted his invitation to attend the World Meeting of Families in the United States next year, even though the Philadelphia Archdiocese still has not received official confirmation from the Vatican. Archbishop Chaput made the announcement July 24 before giving his homily during the opening Mass of the Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo. “Pope Francis has told me that he is coming,” said the archbishop as he invited his fellow Native Americans to the 2015 celebration being held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27. “The pope will be with us the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that week.” Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said July 25 Pope Francis has expressed “his willingness to participate in the World Meeting of

CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE

Pope Francis to attend 2015 World Meeting in Philadelphia

May I join you? Pope Francis talks with Vatican workers during a surprise visit to the Vatican cafeteria on July 25. Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput says the pope plans to attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in 2015.

Families” in Philadelphia, and has received invitations to visit other cities as well, which he is considering. Those invitations include New York, the United Nations and Washington.

“There has been no official confirmation by the Vatican or the Holy See of Pope Francis’ attendance at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia,” the archdiocese said in a state-

ment. “We still expect that any official confirmation will come approximately six months prior to the event.” It said Archbishop Chaput “has frequently shared his confidence in Pope Francis’ attendance at the World Meeting and his personal conversations with the Holy Father are the foundation for that confidence.” “We are further heartened and excited” by Father Lombardi’s comments, it added. “While Archbishop Chaput’s comments do not serve as official confirmation, they do serve to bolster our sincere hope that Philadelphia will welcome Pope Francis next September.” Some Mexican media have cited government officials saying a September trip to North America also could include stops in Mexico, but Father Lombardi said that at this moment “nothing operational has begun relative to a plan or program for a visit to the United States or Mexico. “ ■

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