March 2012 ET Catholic

This issue

He dwells among us.................. 2 Catholic News Service............... 3 Diocesan calendar................... 14 Deanery news.......................... 15

The East Tennessee

La Cosecha............ center pullout Catholic schools...................... 19 Columns.................................. 21

dioknox.org March 4, 2012 Volume 21 Number 7

Bishop Richard F. Stika

News from The Diocese of Knoxville

3

HHS mandate U.S. bishops defend conscience rights

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Finances View the diocese’s annual accounting report

27

Q&A Seminarian Ray Powell discusses his vocation

Bishop Stika makes ad limina visit to the Vatican The Holy Father welcomes Southern bishops ‘to the house of Peter.’ By Dan McWilliams

B

The pope ‘is a very gracious, kind man who gives you his complete attention.’

V are the provinces of New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. “It was good to get together with 22 bishops from the South because we all have many of the same chal-

Ad limina continued on page 4

L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO

ishop Richard F. Stika and other ordinaries from the South met with Pope Benedict XVI in January as they made their ad limina visit to the Vatican.

Bishops are required to make an ad limina visit, during which they submit a report on the state of their diocese, every five years.

Bishop Stika was joined on his visit by diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith and by other bishops in Region V, including those from the Province of Louisville, which is composed of the Tennessee and Kentucky dioceses. Also in Region

‘To the threshold of the Apostles’ Pope Benedict XVI gives Bishop Richard F. Stika a pectoral cross during the bishop’s first ad limina visit to the Vatican.

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

I

He dwells among us

by Bishop Richard F. Stika

Bishop Stika’s schedule

Shell game

What the federal government calls ‘fair and balanced’ is but a continued assault against religious freedom.

These are some of Bishop Stika’s public appointments: March 4: 9 a.m., confirmation, St.

W a March 6: 11 a.m., general priest h meeting, Chancery p March 7: 10 a.m., Lenten day of d recollection for Chancery staff, St. a Thomas the Apostle Church, Lenoir

City p b March 8: 6 p.m., Catholic Charities R of East Tennessee reception and c dinner, Knoxville Convention Center p March 15: 6:30 p.m., Catholic O Charities of East Tennessee dinner, C St. Dominic Church, Kingsport

t March 16: 11 a.m., Cursillo talk, p Apison Retreat Center M March 18: 3 p.m., Secular FranC ciscans meeting, Cathedral of the

Sacred Heart of Jesus w March 18: 6:30 p.m., Mass with r Vietnamese community, Immaculate d Conception Church, Knoxville c March 19: third anniversary of epis- a o copal ordination i March 24: 11 a.m., Scouting banp quet, All Saints parish hall, Knoxville t March 25: 4 p.m., 50th-anniversary w Calendar continued on page 3 Bishop continued on page 3 w D S w t Bishop Richard F. Stika Margaret Hunt The East Tennessee m Publisher Administrative assistant for reporting sexual abuse i Mary C. Weaver Toni Pacitti

Editor Intern Anyone who has actual knowli Dan McWilliams edge of or who has reasonable 805 Northshore Drive, S.W. • Knoxville, TN 37922 t Assistant editor The Diocese of Knoxville cause to suspect an incident of i sexual abuse should report such The East Tennessee Catholic (USPS 007211) is published monthly by The Diocese of Knoxville, 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, i information to the appropriate Knoxville, TN 37919-7551. Periodicals-class postage paid at Knoxville, Tenn. Printed on recycled paper by the Knoxville News Sentinel. r 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 in w bishop’s office, 865-584-3307, or the United States. Make checks payable to The Diocese of Knoxville.

the diocesan victims’ assistance h coordinator, Marla Lenihan, 865Postmaster: Send address changes to The East Tennessee Catholic, 805 Northshore Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN 37939-1127 p Reach us by phone: 865-584-3307 • fax: 865-584-8124 • e-mail: webmaster@dioknox.org • web: dioknox.org o 482-1388. n s the hand quicker than the eye?

That’s the question that always precedes the magician’s game in which you must guess which shuffled walnut shell conceals the pea.

I used to enjoy watching a baseball version of this played on the scoreboard in Busch Stadium between innings of St. Louis Cardinals games.

But as I listened to President Obama on Feb. 10, when he outlined the so-called accommodation to his contraceptive mandate for health care, I felt the only thing missing was the question to introduce the press conference: “Is the hand quicker than the eye?” I may have perfect vision in only one eye, but this much I know: the mandate did not magically disappear, it’s just concealed under a different shell.

When the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) decision was announced on Jan. 20, requiring coverage of abortioninducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization in all health-care policies, I was traveling to Rome for what is commonly called an ad limina visit. The official title is ad limina apostolorum, which means “to the threshold of the apostles,” and by

Church law every bishop is required to make this visit, generally every five years. During this visit each bishop must present himself to the Holy Father and also venerate the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul, both of whom were martyred for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which no power on earth has the right to suppress or restrict.

Unfortunately, we are now witnessing just such an effort in our country. In effect, the Gospel of Christ is now subject to the interpretation of the federal government, with line-item veto authority to strike out any passage of Scripture that conflicts with its agenda. Religious freedom is no longer viewed as an inalienable right that comes from our Creator but as one that is subject to the government, which can define what that right entails.

It no longer suffices to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s” and “to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17).

Now we are mandated to give to Caesar what belongs only to God— our conscience—and are given one year to do so, as though our right of conscience were a perishable item on a store shelf with an expiration

date stamped on it.

Nothing in what I wrote upon my return from Rome in response to the HHS mandate has changed since President Obama’s press conference (see dioknox.org/home/stikahhs/). Under the HHS mandate, fertility and pregnancy are viewed as diseases to be prevented or cured and the life of a newly conceived child as though it were a parasite to be chemically flushed out of a woman’s body. But when we speak of health care, the Church defends not only the health of the body but above all that of the soul and its inner temple, our conscience.

Before his martyrdom, St. Thomas More said, “I am the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” This is one of the reasons bishops present themselves to the successor of Peter during ad limina visits and venerate the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Mindful that Jesus instructed Peter to “strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32) and of St. Paul’s command “to preach the word . . . in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2), we draw courage to be God’s servant first. Our citizenship should

Fran­cis of Assisi Church, Townsend

Diocesan policy

2 March 4, 2012

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dioknox.org

From the wire

Hearing examines contraceptive mandate ‘We will not violate our consciences,’ says Bishop Lori. By Carol Zimmermann

The East Tennessee Catholic

March 29: 6 p.m., Catholic Charities of East Tennessee dinner, Chattanooga Convention Center March 30: 9:30 a.m., Mass with schoolchildren, at St. Mary Church, Oak Ridge n

Novena guild formed

CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER

WASHINGTON (CNS)—During a nearly five-hour congressional hearing Feb. 16 religious leaders explained how the contraceptive mandate in the U.S. health-reform plan is an affront to religious-liberty rights.

Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., chairman of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, and two Catholic college presidents were among 10 panelists who addressed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Panel members included an Orthodox rabbi, a Baptist minister, the president of the Lutheran Church– Missouri Synod, and officials from Christian universities.

The hearing took place nearly a week after President Barack Obama revised a federal contraceptive mandate, saying religious employers could decline to cover contraceptives and sterilization if they were morally opposed to them but that the health insurers that provide their health plans would be required to offer contraceptives free of charge to women who requested such coverage.

The revision came after three weeks of intensive criticism that the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraception mandate would require most religious institutions to pay for coverage they find morally objectionable, despite a limited religious exemption.

The religious leaders at the hearing said the change still violated their religious freedoms because it involved the government’s requiring their participation, even indirectly, in practices they disagreed with on moral grounds.

Democrats at the hearing were highly critical of the lack of female panelists and two of them walked out after expressing concern that

Calendar continued from page 2 Mass, St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church, Cleveland

‘Lines Crossed’ meeting Bishop William E. Lori of Bridgeport, Conn., chairman of the bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, the Rev. Matthew Harrison, Ben Mitchell, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik and Craig Mitchell are sworn in before testifying at a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington Feb. 16. The hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was on religious liberty, prompted by debate over a federal mandate on contraceptive coverage.

women were not able to discuss the importance of free access to contraception. There were no women on the first panel and two on the second. None of the witnesses spoke in favor of the contraceptive mandate in the health-reform law.

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., committee chairman, reminded lawmakers that the hearing was not about contraception but about the law’s impact on freedom of religion and conscience. The hearing was titled: “Lines Crossed: Separation of Church and State. Has the Obama Administration Trampled on Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Conscience?”

He also pointed out that the Democratic members’ request for the female witness—a Georgetown University law student—had been submitted too late to be considered

and was “not an appropriate witness.” The committee accepted the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, as a panelist.

Although he did not speak on the panel, he submitted his testimony for the record.

Throughout the at-times-contentious hearing, religious leaders spoke at length about the complexity of the issue, particularly when lawmakers grilled panelists on the law’s impact on their faith traditions.

Bishop Lori compared the contraceptive mandate to a law that would force all food providers, including kosher delicatessens, to serve pork.

The bishop asked whether it would be permissible for the government to weigh in on one side of

The faithful and clergy of the diocese are encouraged to join the newly forming Holy Spirit Novena Guild. Members pray a monthly novena—nine days of prayer—for the pope, the bishop, clergy, religious sisters and brothers, seminarians, young people in discernment, and more. There are no meetings.

To join, send name and address to Father Michael Cummins via e-mail at mcummins@ dioknox.org or via postal mail at Catholic Center at ETSU, 734 W. Locust St., Johnson City, TN 37604. To learn more, visit bit.ly/zZKzde. n

Bishop continued from page 2

never force us to wager our faith like a bet on a shell game and to compromise our citizenship in heaven.

As we continue to fight this unjust mandate, I encourage you to visit www.usccb.org/ conscience for updates. You will also find information on contacting elected officials to ask them to pass legislation that protects our religious liberty and rights of conscience. Please pray for me and be assured of my continued prayers for you as we endeavor to be faithful witnesses of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. n

Mandate continued on page 7

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March 4, 2012 3

lenges,” said Bishop Stika. “Some of the bishops I had known quite well, others not so much, but we spent every day together for those 11 days. After that time together, we had all gotten to know one another.

That was one of the highlights. The other highlight was, of course, our meeting with the Holy Father.”

The bishops of the Louisville Province were brought into the pope’s library Jan. 23, where the Holy Father greeted them.

“He welcomed us ‘to the house of Peter,’” said Bishop Stika.

After a brief discourse by the pope, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville and then Bishop Roger J. Foys of Covington, Ky., spoke with Pope Benedict.

“Then the Holy Father looked at me,” said Bishop Stika, “and he said, ‘Excellency, what do you have to say?’ So I spoke to him about the new evangelization. Before my visit, I had spoken to a number of our priests about what they would say to the Holy Father if they had the opportunity, and it was about evangelization.”

Bishop Stika spoke to the pope of three challenges of evangelization in East Tennessee.

“The first is working with apathetic Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, and Catholics who have fallen by the wayside for whatever reason.

The second challenge is to make sure, especially in a diocese where there is a great influx of Hispanics, that everyone feels at home in [his or her] parish, so it’s not two communities that exist within a parish but one community, made up of many cultures, that reflects the universality of the Church.

“Finally, the third challenge is how we deal with Catholics who are divorced and not fully able to celebrate the sacramental life of the Church, as well as people who are not Catholic who have a desire to become Catholic but were in marriages that have ended in divorce.”

4 March 4, 2012

Pope Benedict asked Bishop Stika some follow-up questions about East Tennessee’s Hispanic population.

“The Holy Father asked me three or four questions about how Hispanic people here are integrated into the community and about how they find jobs. I told him that some of them have no paperwork; they don’t have legal documentation. He was very concerned about that, and I think because he is preparing to go to Mexico and Cuba, it’s probably been on his mind.

“Finally, he asked whether there were Muslims in the diocese, and I said there’s a small number. Then finally I said, ‘Holy Father, this is my opinion, but I think in the United States today there is a real anti-Christian mentality among the media, that the Catholic Church— Christianity in itself—is being attacked.”

As part of his visit, Bishop Stika presented the quinquennial report on the state of the diocese. During the year before the visit, the directors of diocesan offices prepared reports on their offices, and Chancery staffers, including Deacon Smith and administrative assistant Janie Hennessy, helped collate the reports.

Associate chancellor Father David Carter assembled the final report.

“It gets sent to the secretary of state via the nunciature,” said Bishop Stika. “It’s a report that touches on all the different aspects of the diocese.”

The report “has a lot of statistics, and I have to do a summary of both what has happened in the diocese in the past and our plans for the future,” said the bishop.

“Then as part of the ad limina, each day you visit different offices that pertain to the report—for example, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, or sacraments, or the Signatura. We visited various offices, and information was shared by the prefect—the head of the congregation—along with the secretary, and

S v K J

L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Ad limina continued from page 1

First ad limina Pope Benedict XVI poses in his library with Bishop Richard F. Stika and diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith. Both of the East Tennesseans were participating in their first ad limina visit.

there was a great deal of dialogue.”

Highlights of the trip included celebrating Mass at the major basilicas of the Vatican.

“We had Mass at the North American College the first night, then following that—the first morning of

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

the actual ad limina—we had Mass at a chapel located near the tomb of St. Peter,” said Bishop Stika. “We also had Mass at three other basilicas: St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. John Lateran, the pope’s cathedral.” dioknox.org

CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO

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Southern shepherds Pope Benedict XVI is pictured during a Jan. 23 meeting with U.S. bishops from southern states on their ad limina visit to the Vatican. From left are Bishop William F. Medley of Owensboro, Ky.; Bishop Richard F. Stika of Knoxville; Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky.; Pope Benedict; Bishop Roger J. Foys of Covington, Ky.; Bishop Ronald W. Gainer of Lexington, Ky.; and Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD, of Memphis.

On the first Friday of the visit, Bishop Stika was supposed to be the main celebrant of a Mass at the tomb of Pope John Paul II. “When I discovered that one of the bishops, Bishop [William] Houck [bishop emeritus of Jackson, Miss.], had been ordained a bishop

by Pope John Paul at St. Peter’s in 1979, I invited him to be the main celebrant, and I concelebrated. That was something I had been looking forward to. About two hours later, I was able to secure the same altar, and Deacon Sean and I celebrated Mass at his tomb.”

Bishop Stika said he was asked after he came home “what was it like to have a conversation with the pope in his living room, of sorts.”

The East Tennessee Catholic

“He’s a very gracious, kind man who gives you his complete attention. I had to admit that, coming from a south St. Louis parish and growing up seeing the pope on TV as a distant figure, here I was sitting with him and having a conversation with him. My parents would have been very proud of that.”

The bishop said another highlight was the place where he and his fellow ordinaries stayed: the Santa Marta Residence in the Vatican.

“That’s also the residence used by the cardinals upon the election of a pope. The bishops had access to the Vatican Gardens that are so famous, and I was able to walk some of the small trails that I’m sure John Paul and Pope Benedict would walk

because they were so private. Even though it was wintertime, it was very beautiful.”

At the end of the bishops’ visit with the pope, he presented each diocesan leader with a pectoral cross, rosaries blessed by him, holy cards, and Christmas cards.

“I was the last one to leave the room, and I shook his hand and thanked him. Then I turned to him again a couple of footsteps away and said, ‘Holy Father, God bless you.’ As I turned around and was walking out, I could hear him say to me, ‘Please pray for me.’ And I thought what an awesome thing the pope requests from me: prayers. I assured him of my prayers and the prayers of the diocese.” n

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

The growth of our Church depends on you. When you support the Annual Bishop’s Appeal, 100 percent of your gift provides for essential ministries throughout East Tennessee.

Each year the appeal provides n education for children in Catholic schools and faith formation for those in religious-education programs n shelter for more than 300 homeless people n meals for almost 10,000 families n counseling and support for more than 11,000 people facing unemployment, depression, addiction, divorce, crisis pregnancy, or the death of a loved one n preparation for the more than 300 adults who join the Church at the Easter Vigil n services for the elderly and people seeking to become American citizens n and much more.

Bishop Richard F. Stika urges the faithful to join him in making a sacrificial gift to the Annual Bishop’s Appeal. “I can’t think of a better investment than spreading the Gospel and helping people grow in holiness,” he said.

For more on the appeal, see “Annual Bishop’s Appeal launches” from the Feb. 5 ETC, available online at bit.ly/AlbkzP. n

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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. n March 4, 2012 5

From the wire

Pope to new cardinals: preserve Church tradition VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Leaders and members of the Catholic Church do not have the authority to determine its teaching and structure but are called to ensure its fidelity to Jesus and to the faith passed on by the apostles, Pope Benedict XVI told the 22 new cardinals he created.

“The Church is not self-regulating; she does not determine her own structure but receives it from the word of God, to which she listens in faith as she seeks to understand it and to live it,” the pope said in a homily Feb. 19 during a Mass concelebrated with the new cardinals in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The College of Cardinals was expanded Feb. 18, and new members included Cardinals Timothy M. Dolan of New York; Edwin F. O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and former archbishop of Baltimore; and Thomas C. Collins of Toronto.

The Mass marked the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, a liturgical solemnity focused on the authority Jesus entrusted to his apostles. The feast usually is celebrated Feb. 22 but was early because Ash Wednesday falls on that date this year.

The basilica’s bronze statue of St. Peter, with its foot worn smooth by centuries of pilgrims’ caresses, was draped with red and gold liturgical vestments for the feast day.

To illustrate his homily, the pope used another artwork, Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s towering sculpture of the Chair of St. Peter, which is topped by the Holy Spirit window in the basilica’s apse.

The Catholic Church is like a window into which the light of truth shines and through which a response of love should radiate, he said.

“The Church herself is like a win-

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CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

Every Christian—particularly each cardinal—has a duty to share God’s love with others, Benedict says. By Cindy Wooden

College of Cardinals grows Pope Benedict XVI presents a ring to new U.S. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan during a consistory in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Feb. 18. The pope created 22 new cardinals from 13 countries—including three from North America.

dow, the place where God draws near to us, where he comes toward our world,” the pope said.

Bernini’s sculpture features a large throne, which symbolizes the authority Jesus gave to St. Peter, supported by four ancient Church theologians—two doctors of the Church from the East and two from the West, representing the Church’s unity and diversity. The support of the theologians also “teaches us that love rests upon faith. Love collapses if man no longer trusts in God and disobeys him,” the pope said.

“Everything in the Church rests

upon faith: the sacraments, the liturgy, evangelization, charity,” as well as “the law and the Church’s authority,” he said.

Catholics cannot make things up as they go along, he said. They must follow tradition, the sacred Scriptures, and the teaching of the apostles, explained and interpreted by the fathers of the Church and the popes.

All the Church teaches and does in the world must be motivated by love and lead to love, the pope said.

“A selfish faith would be an unreal faith,” Pope Benedict said.

“Whoever believes in Jesus Christ

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and enters into the dynamic of love that finds its source in the Eucharist discovers true joy and becomes capable, in turn, of living according to the logic of gift,” he said.

Like the basilica’s Holy Spirit window with its radiating golden rays, “God is not isolation but glorious and joyful love, spreading outward and radiant with light,” the pope told the new cardinals.

Entrusted with God’s love, every Christian—and particularly each of the Church’s cardinals—has a duty to share it with others, he said.

The altar servers at the Mass were dioknox.org

setting of an audience.

He asked the family and friends to support the new cardinals with their prayers, to listen to them more carefully, and “be united with them and among yourselves in faith and charity in order to be even more fervid and courageous witnesses of Christ.”

At the end of the audience each of the new cardinals presented two members of their entourage to the pope. Cardinal Collins introduced his sisters, Catherine and Patricia, to the pope, and Cardinal O’Brien presented two longtime friends from New York, Patricia Dillon and Patricia Handal.

After Cardinal Dolan introduced his mother, Shirley Dolan, 83, to the pope, Pope Benedict told her, “You look too young to be a cardinal’s mother,” the cardinal told Catholic News Service.

“I told him, ‘I hope that’s an infallible statement.’”

“Let’s face it,” Cardinal Dolan said, “it’s somewhat rare that a cardinal can introduce his mother to the pope.” The average age of the 213 members of the College of Car-

Mandate continued from page 3

es,” said Bishop Lori, who noted that the issue is about “forcing the church” to provide contraceptives against church teachings. “That’s what we don’t want to do. It’s one thing when tax dollars pay for it. It’s another when church dollars do.”

John Garvey, president of The Catholic University of America, said there would be a fine of almost $2,000 per employee per year if the university doesn’t provide health insurance. “We’re not an institution rich enough to afford that penalty, so I’m trying not to look that far down the road,” he said.

“We will not violate our faith,” said William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, a small Catholic liberal arts college in Belmont, N.C. The college has filed a civil lawsuit against the federal government on the grounds the

this hypothetical dispute.

He was asked more than once whether the Catholic Church, which is morally opposed to artificial birth control, would ever consider the use of contraceptives for health reasons.

“Catholic moral theology is very nuanced” in its ability to see how the same drug can be used for different things, he said. “We operate with lot more nuance than we’re usually given credit for.”

The bulk of the discussion was religious leaders’ responses when asked by Republican lawmakers whether they would comply with the new law and violate their conscience or refuse to comply with the mandate and pay steep fines or even close some of their ministries.

“We will not violate our consciencThe East Tennessee Catholic

dinals is over 75.

Cardinal Dolan also presented Vincenza Mustaciuolo to the pope.

She is the mother of Monsignor Greg Mustaciuolo, chancellor of the New York Archdiocese. The monsi-

gnor is one of the cardinal’s closest aides, and his mother had never met the pope, the cardinal said. n Copyright 2012 Catholic News Service/ U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

seminarians from the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome where Cardinals O’Brien and Dolan both served as rector before being named bishops.

At the beginning of the Mass, Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, thanked the pope on behalf of all the new cardinals.

Acknowledging the different nationalities and ministries of the new cardinals, Cardinal Filoni said, “We are united by one faith in Christ, love for the Church, fidelity to the pope, and a deep awareness of the real and serious needs of humanity.”

The cardinal also thanked the family members present at the Mass, several of whom brought the offertory gifts to the pope. Cardinal Filoni said every vocation, including the new cardinals’ vocations to the priesthood, is born within a family or other community and nurtured by the faith of others.

Pope Benedict met the new cardinals and their family and friends again Feb. 20 in the more informal

Monsignor Thoni in Rome New Cardinal Edwin F. O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, greets U.S. Army chaplain Monsignor Philip Thoni of the Diocese of Knoxville during a reception at the Pontifical North American College in Rome Feb. 18.

contraception mandate is contrary to its beliefs.

Thierfelder told lawmakers that he hoped the school would “never come to the extreme of having to pay a huge fine or closing.”

“I’m confident we won’t come to that,” he said, adding that the congressional hearing could prompt further discussion on the issue along with the realization that “we need to do something about this.”

The day before the hearing a group of Catholic leaders held a telephone press conference described as a “pre-buttal” to the congressional hearing.

Some speakers said they opposed the original federal health mandate but felt its revised form was an acceptable compromise.

Mercy Sister Anne Curtis, a member of the Institute Leadership Team

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of the Sister of Mercy of the Americas, said she felt there was “a lot of good will in the effort to resolve this” and hopes dialogue about it will continue so that ultimately good health care can be provided for those “most vulnerable and fragile in our society.”

At the hearing the Rev. Matthew Harrison, president of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, said he would rather go to jail than comply with the revised mandate, which he said still requires religious institutions to pay indirectly for services that violate their religious beliefs.

“I will give up my sons to fight” for these liberties, he said. “I will give up every single thing I have.” n Julie Asher contributed to this story.

Copyright 2012 Catholic News Service/ U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops March 4, 2012 7

Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report

Dear friends in Christ: Our diocese completed its 23rd fiscal year on June 30, 2011. Each year you have the opportunity to receive a report detailing all diocesan finances in The East Tennessee Catholic.

As you know, we separated the parish appeal from the diocesan appeal (Annual Catholic Appeal) in 2011. Since this report is for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011 and 2010, it refers to the Annual Catholic Appeal for 2011 and the Annual Stewardship Appeal for 2010. In addition, our auditors recommended that revenues received from the appeals be recognized in the current fiscal year, which resulted in a prior period adjustment to the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, as described in Note 16 to the financial statements.

In previous years’ reports, revenues received that were used to fund the upcoming fiscal year’s activities were reported as deferred revenues.

Each year we strive to provide you with detailed information about services offered by the diocese. As you read the financial report that follows, you will see how the Christian faithful of the Diocese of Knoxville provide funds that keep our diocese operating— through your generous response to the annual diocesan appeals and with bequests and other charitable gifts. As good stewards, we strive to be fiscally responsible and transparent.

Since coming to East Tennessee in 2009, I have been inspired by your fidelity to Christ and his Church. I have seen your generosity of spirit and the support and cooperation that grow from a life rooted in faith. I have been sustained by the many prayers offered for my wellbeing, and I know I am blessed to be the shepherd of a prayerful people. I am grateful to our good and gracious Lord for placing me in this diocese, where I see the face of Jesus all around me.

Our auditors confirm that the diocese exemplifies prudent stewardship of its financial resources. We use donated funds for the purposes for which they are contributed, as has been the diocese’s tradition.

Please allow me to express a special word of thanks to members of the Diocesan Finance Council, with whom I work closely throughout the year, and to our finance officer, Deacon David Lucheon, for his commitment to serving the growing needs of the diocese.

Thank you—and may we continue striving to be good stewards of all our gifts.

Sincerely in Christ,

Bishop Richard F. Stika

8 March 4, 2012

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

dioknox.org

Statement of Activities June 30, 2011 Source of funds $9,076,755 Deposit/loan fund interest income $966,515 10.6%

Grants $336,000 3.7%

Parish assessments $2,837,423 31.2%

Other income/ service fees and net gain on sales $532,056 5.9%

Annual Catholic Appeal $1,237,110 13.6%

Capital campaign $3,664 .1%

Contributions/bequests $1,430,882 15.8%

Unrealized gains/investments Statement of Financial Ac­count­ing Standard (SFAS) No. 124 re­quires that investments be recorded at mar­ ket value rather than at cost, and this results in the recognition of un­re­al­ized gains/losses.

Pastoral Grants to parishes and in­sti­tu­tions; Diocesan Council The East Tennessee Catholic

Use of funds $8,218,557 Catholic Charities grant $946,862 11.5%

Promotion of vocations $692,626 8.4%

Education $760,164 9.3%

Investment income/gains $1,733,105 19.1%

Parish assessments Administrative assessment for di­oc­e­san governance/ ad­min­is­tra­tion; seminarian assessment for vocations promotion; reimbursement for priest health insurance

Diocesan governance/ administration $1,985,491 24.2%

Communications $327,608 4%

Deposit/loan fund interest expense $964,407 11.7%

of Catholic Women grant; Youth Min­is­try; Hispanic Ministry; Campus Min­is­try; Evan­ge­li­za­tion; Justice and Peace; Marriage Preparation and Enrichment.

Diaconate formation $25,841 .3%

Religious personnel development/care $1,191,066 14.5%

Pastoral $1,324,492 16.1%

and re­tire­ment; communications assessment for The East Tennessee Catholic newspaper and online programs; school as­sess­ment for the op­er­a­tion of the Catholic Schools Office; assessment for the diocesan diaconate program.

Education Religious Education and Cath­o­lic Schools offices. n

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March 4, 2012 9

10 March 4, 2012

Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report

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

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Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report

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12 March 4, 2012

Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report

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

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Diocese of Knoxville Annual Financial Report

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

March 4, 2012 13

Diocesan calendar

by Toni Pacitti Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will hold its three annual fundraising dinners in March. The 27th annual Knoxville Region dinner, “An Emerald O’ccasion,” is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 8, at the Knoxville Convention Center. The event will feature a keynote address by CCET executive director Father Ragan Schriver and an auction. Cost is $125 per person or $1,250 for a table of 10. Contact CCET development director Freddi Birdwell at 865-524-9896 or freddi@ccetn. org for more information. The Tri-Cities Region dinner will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport. Mass will take place at 5:30. Dinner cost is $50 per person or $400 for a table of eight.

Contact RuthAnn Ranker at 423-6762362 or stdomchurch@aol.com for details. The 30th annual Chattanooga Region dinner is scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Father Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, will be the guest speaker. Cost is $125 per person or $1,000 for a table of eight. Contact Christine Willingham at 423-276-1297 or christine@ccetn.org for more information.

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is holding a Rachel’s Vineyard weekend, a healing and recovery retreat for those experiencing emotional or spiritual difficulties as a result of abortion. The retreat will be held April 20 through 22 in Athens. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times. For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at 865-776-4510 or sandi@ccetn.org or Catherine McHugh at 694-4971 or peace4lilith@aol.com.

Another Rachel’s Vineyard retreat is scheduled for March 16 to 18 in Maggie Valley, N.C. Contact Carla Haire at cwool76@frontier.com or 828-342-4655.

Search for Christian Maturity retreat No. 92, for high school juniors and seniors in the Cumberland Mountain and Smoky Mountain deaneries, is set for

14 March 4, 2012

7 p.m. Friday, March 9, through 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 11, at Knoxville Catholic High School. Cost is $55. Contact Deacon Dan Hosford at 865-603-9682 or djh2@comcast.net for more information.

The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville will have a “morning of recollection” on Friday, March 9, at All Saints Church.

The event begins with Mass at 9 a.m., followed by a talk by Deacon Tim Elliot, “Evangelizing in the Domestic Church.”

The talk will finish around 11:45. Those who want to stay may bring a sack lunch; drinks are provided. For details, call Debbie at 865-694-0348.

A centering prayer introductory workshop led by Dr. Barbara Ray will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave. in Chattanooga.

Cost is $25 ($20 for students). Lunch is provided, with a vegetarian option. Preregistration is requested. For more information, contact Dr. Ray at 423-4900735 or baray@comcast.net or Kathleen Russell at jrussell075@comcast.net.

Volunteers are being sought for a weekly English–Spanish worship service sponsored by the Diocese of Knoxville at the Knox County Detention Facility at 3 p.m. Saturdays. On most Saturdays the Liturgy of the Word is led by the laity.

There is an opportunity to expand these services to another part of the jail, and the ministry needs laypeople to provide hospitality, leadership, and music. Bilingual people are desired, but the ministry can use those who speak only English or Spanish. Orientation and training will be provided. For more information, call Geri or Charlie Mulligan at 865-249-6802.

A Six Catholic Dates program continues at 6 p.m. Fridays through March 9 at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. The program helps couples strengthen their marriage by encouraging them to make time to enjoy each other’s company.

Spouses start their date by coming to the parish, where they view a brief video and receive a handout to facilitate conversation during the date. At 11 a.m.

Saturday, March 3, Bishop Richard F. Stika will preside at a marriage-celebration Mass at St. Mary, and couples will have an opportunity to renew their vows. For details, contact Katherine Angulo at 423-282-6367, extension 20, or Katherine.Angulo@stmarysjc.org.

The Knoxville Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting’s 13th annual Bishop’s Gathering and Adult Recognition dinner is set for 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 24, in the parish hall at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Cost is $15 per person or $30 for families, with clergy admitted free. A barbecue meal will be served. RSVP George LeCrone Sr., 10700 Leeward Lane, Knoxville, TN 37934, with checks made out to KDCCS. Knoxville Catholic High School will be hosting a Casino Night from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 17, in the gym.

The evening features food, drink, play money, door prizes, and raffles. All proceeds will go to Project Graduation, an all-night lock-in, on May 19. Tickets cost $20 and may be bought from KCHS seniors. Ages 21 and older only. For more information, contact Trudy LeBlanc at 865-776-0765 or tdl@knology.net, Diana Seaver at 924-8784 or dianaseaver4@ aol.com, or Rose Cox at 584-9189.

“A Jubilee Pilgrimage to France” is planned for April 16 through 27, under the spiritual direction of Father Alberto Sescon and Father Peter Iorio, with Mercy Sister Albertine Paulus as group coordinator. The itinerary includes visits to Rouen, Lisieux, the Normandy beaches, Caen, Paris, Chartres, and Lourdes. The group will depart from Atlanta. Cost is $3,539 (cash-discount price) or $3,758, plus airport taxes, fuel surcharges, and tips. To request a color brochure and registration form, contact Sister Albertine at 865-545-8270, 207-4742, or smaevang@yahoo.com.

Father Patrick Resen will lead a pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland from April 28 to May 10. Contact Rich at rdelmotte@hotmail.com or 615-533-

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

5954 for more information, or visit bit.ly/ s1b68b.

The fourth annual Catholic Student Day on the Hill will take place Tuesday, March 20, in Nashville. The annual Catholic Day on the Hill for adults, scheduled for Tuesday, April 24, has been canceled because the legislature plans to have concluded its session by then. It was not possible to move the date back because organizers could not reserve a location that could accommodate everybody. The Tennessee bishops will meet with the governor and his key leadership on March 7. Reservations for the student day are made through students’ schools. For more information, contact Paul Simoneau at 865-584-3307 or psimoneau@dioknox.org.

The Community of Sant’Egidio is a Catholic lay ecclesial movement that focuses on prayer and service to the poor. For more information, call Father Michael Cummins at 423-926-7061. Everyone is welcome.

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 first and third Sundays at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland, and at 3 p.m. on second and fourth Sundays at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Madisonville. Visit www.knoxlatinmass.net for updated information.

The St. Thomas the Apostle Ukrainian Catholic Mission celebrates Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays in the chapel at the Chancery office in Knoxville. All services are in English. Call Father Richard Armstrong at 865-584-3307 or visit www.saintthomasknoxville.org for details.

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. n dioknox.org

Chattanooga Deanery calendar The St. Catherine Labouré Church Hispanic Ministry Retreat has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, March 31. The retreat will be held at The Bridges Retreat Center in Blairsville, Ga. This is the same location used for the retreat in 2011. The retreat will be conducted by Juan Hernandez.

St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga is holding a golf tournament Saturday, April 14, at Brainerd Golf Course in Chattanooga. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 8. The format is four-person select shot, with

Parish notes: Chattanooga Deanery

mulligans available for purchase. Prizes are available for holes in one on three par-3 holes, including one $10,000 prize. There will be door prizes for every player and special prizes for men’s and women’s longest drive and closest-tothe-pin shots. An auction of donated gifts will be held during lunch. Cost is $85 and includes greens fees, cart, hot dogs, two free drinks, and lunch. Proceeds will help reduce the debt on St. Stephen’s new kitchen. To register, volunteer, or become a sponsor, call the church office at 423892-1261 or contact John Vannucci at 309-5133 or jvannucci@comcast.net. n

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy An hour of prayer and praise took place Feb. 12. A free concert was led by the contemporary choir from Sacred Heart Cathedral.

St. Augustine, Signal Mountain A book study on The Edge of Sadness (Loyola Classics, 2005) by Edwin O’Connor, 1962 Pulitzer Prize winner in literature, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14.

The Council of Catholic Women is offering a memoir-writing class. For further details, e-mail signalrose@gmail.com.

Volunteers are needed to provide a prepared meal for the weekly senior high youth group. E-mail Catherine Wiedeman at cwiedeman@staugustinecatholic.org for details.

St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill The parish held a Shrove Tuesday party Feb. 21.

St. Jude, Chattanooga Mass and a potluck lunch were held Feb. 16 to celebrate Father Charlie Burton’s 60th birthday.

A team of parents is needed to begin planning for this summer’s vacation Bible school. For more information, call Kyra at 423-870-2386.

COURTESY OF CAROL BIRD

The baby-bottle drive to benefit the Pregnancy Help Center will continue throughout Lent.

Leadership event Nathan Bird (second from left, back row) sits with other students attending the FOCUS summit.

St. Augustine member attends FOCUS summit

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By Nathan Bird ecently I was blessed with the chance to go to the FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) Student Leadership Summit in Baltimore. With generous help from the St. Augustine Knights of Columbus council and my family, I was able to pay for the trip.

Curtis Martin, the founder of FOCUS, and a member of the Vatican’s The East Tennessee Catholic

Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, introduced to us the new evangelization movement, originally attributed to Pope Paul VI and supported by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. The new evangelization is a renewal of Christ’s original mission of spreading the Gospel with, in the words of John Paul II, “new methods, new

Middle school youth are seeking pen pals among parish seniors in a “Bridging the Gap” project. E-mail Alicia Bradshaw at abradshaw@stjudechattanooga.org.

A Schoenstatt Sister of Mary, Marie Day, gave a presentation at a Lenten prayer breakfast Feb. 25. Schoenstatt is a Roman Catholic Marian Movement founded in Germany in 1914 by Father Joseph Kentenich.

St. Mary, Athens Parish Girl Scouts will pick up bags of cans after weekend Masses for their recycling project. For large donations, call Christina Power at 423-336-9717.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga Anniversary: John and Grace Gridley (64)

Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga A free Lenten hymn festival will be held at the basilica Sunday, March 14. n

FOCUS continued on page 17

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

March 4, 2012 15

Cumberland Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Cumberland Mountain Deanery

The Council of Catholic Women of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville is holding a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friday, March 16, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 17, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 2892 Highway 70 E in Crossville. Drop off donations from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 12, through Thursday, March 15. Those unable to deliver large pieces of furniture or appliances (no pianos) should call Smitty at 931-459-2051 or Ralph Miller at 7883948 to arrange for pickup.

All Saints, Knoxville Knights of Columbus Council 5207 held its membership drive after weekend Masses on Feb. 4 and 5. Call Tom Gilmartin at 865-288-0255 for more information.

The parish hosted a world marriage dinner Feb. 10.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade First Friday Mass and Benediction will be celebrated at 8 a.m. March 2.

The men’s prayer group will meet for breakfast after the 8 a.m. Mass on Saturday, March 3, in Father Sheehan Hall.

The Council of Catholic Women will have a one-day retreat after the 8 a.m. Mass on Wednesday, March 14. The guest speaker, Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, will give a presentation on the Psalms.

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City will host a workshop from April 30 to May 5 for those interested in learn-

ing how to write (paint) icons. Irene Perez-Omer of Icon Arts in Austin, Texas, will be the instructor. Cost is $625 and includes instruction, materials, and refreshments. A down payment of $325 is due by Thursday, March 15, with the balance due

by Sunday, April 15. Make checks payable to St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Drop off the down payment, in an envelope marked “Father Christian Iconography Workshop,” at the church office or mail to St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 1580 St. Thomas Way, Lenoir City, TN 37772.

More information about the instructor and workshop may be found at www.iconarts. com. For further details, call Father Christian Mathis at 865-816-7219. n

The book club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, in the conference room. The book to be discussed is Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand (Random House, 2010) by Helen Simonson.

Anniversaries: Russ and Ruth Koepke (67), Ted and Jean Bowles (59)

St. John Neumann, Farragut The eighth-grade class at St. John Neumann School served a pancake breakfast at Aubrey’s restaurant Jan. 28. Proceeds will help purchase a graduation gift from the class to the school.

A special blessing was offered to all Scouts and their leaders at Sunday Mass on Feb. 5.

Little Joe’s Pizza hosted a fundraising dinner for Boy Scout Troop 125 on Feb. 26.

A Mardi Gras fundraiser for the Ghana medical mission was held Feb. 21.

Volunteers are needed to pick up orders at Food City every other Monday morning for the St. Joseph’s food pantry. Call Elizabeth at 617-2987 or e-mail StardustTN@aol.com for more information.

St. Lucy’s Guild needs tall, slim bottles (e.g., that contained Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce) for Easter and fall festival sales. Leave bottles at the ministry center.

Father Christopher Riehl will serve senior singles a soup luncheon at noon Saturday, March 3, in Columbus Hall. Father Riehl will prepare three soups from his own recipes.

St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City The women’s guild will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, March 26, in the Deacon José Room of the family life center. Coffee and light breakfast will be available. E-mail Kay Goeken at ckgoe@aol.com for more information. n

16 March 4, 2012

COURTESY OF MEGAN LOCKE

St. Mary, Oak Ridge

KCHS swimmer signs with Navy Ellen Bradford of Knoxville Catholic High School has committed to continue her swimming career at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Ellen will swim breaststroke for the Midshipmen. As a freshman in Idaho, Ellen made it to the YMCA nationals and placed in the top eight in the senior sectionals in breaststroke. In February she competed in the Tennessee State Swimming and Diving Championships and was a double state winner in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breast. Her time of 2:02.58 in the 200 IM and 1:03.21 in the 100 breast earned automatic All-American honors in both events. She was named Female Swimmer of the Meet and led the Lady Irish to a fifth-place finish, the highest finish in KCHS history. Ellen is seated with parents Gwen and Jeff Bradford. Standing are (from left) KCHS swim head coach Anita Dinwiddie, Teresa Bradford, and KCHS assistant coach Jimmy McCollum.

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

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Five Rivers Deanery calendar

St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport will host a mission featuring Father David Knight from Saturday, March 24, through -Wednesday, March 28. Father Knight has written several books and has given

talks, missions, retreats, and workshops in Australia, Canada, England, Ecuador, Germany, and the United States. For more details, visit www.saintdominic church.catholicweb.com. n

Fighting Irish spring baseball classic set April 28

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he ninth annual Fighting Irish Spring Classic, benefiting Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy and Adoption Services, is set for Saturday, April 28, at Smokies Park in Kodak.

Grace Christian Academy will play Jefferson County in the first game at 2 p.m., followed by Knoxville Catholic High School versus Webb School of Knoxville at 4 p.m.

Pregame entertainment will start at 1:30 p.m.

FOCUS continued from page 15

ardor, and new expression.”

Mr. Martin laid out the need for this movement with some simple statistics. He said out of the 80 million Catholics in the United States, only about 57 million believe in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, 12 million attend Mass weekly, and 3 million who believe in church teachings such as those outlined in Humanae Vitae.

He founded FOCUS to bring renewed fervor into the Catholic Church, starting with the college campus. Quoting Matthew 5:14, the summit’s verse for the weekend, he challenged us to take the new evangelization to heart and be “a light to the world,” sharing the Gospel with everyone, especially those Catholics who had lost enthusiasm for their faith.

In the rest of the summit we were equipped with the tools to do just that. One speaker talked about the importance of prayer and how life should ideally be ordered around the liturgy. Though Catholics usually get a bad reputation for not The East Tennessee Catholic

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Call Tom Ciaccia at 865765-4046 or e-mail tciaccia@comcast. net for details.

Advance tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students ($6 and $4 at the gate). For groups of 10 or more, tickets are $4 per adult and $2 per student.

To buy tickets or learn more, contact one of the participating schools or Mark Clubb at 300-6662 or mclubb@tedfordtellico.com. n reading the Bible, he stressed lectio Divina, prayer through the Word of God. It is only through prayer that we come to know the Holy Spirit, and it is only through the Holy Spirit’s intercession that the new evangelization will have any success.

With prayer and intercession, our peers’ hearts may be opened up so that when we do share the Gospel, they will receive it and believe it.

The weekend opened my eyes to why, in an increasingly secular world, it is so important to share the word of God. It gave me a clearer view of what it means to be a Catholic and gave me renewed enthusiasm to keep true to my faith and to share it.

I am very thankful that the Spirit guided me to the FOCUS summit, and I hope it will continue to grow and give others a similar experience.

For more information about FOCUS and the New Evangelization, visit www.focus.org. n Nathan Bird is a freshman at Vanderbilt University and a member of St. Augustine Parish in Signal Mountain.

Parish notes: Five Rivers Deanery Holy Trinity, Jefferson City Father Jay Flaherty will present a Lenten mission with the theme “Developing a Personal Relationship with God” at 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, March 11 through 13, at Holy Trinity.

Anniversary: Burlin and Lisa Allen (25)

St. Dominic, Kingsport The 66th-anniversary celebration of the parish school will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14, in the parish life center. A “Route 66 Party” will feature food, DJ Jim Utterback, and an auction. Proceeds will benefit the school’s operational costs.

Knights of Columbus Council 6992 hosted an awards and clergy-appreciation dinner Feb. 16.

St. Elizabeth, Elizabehton The Knights of Columbus invite all families to join them in donating one can of food per day this Lent in their “40 Cans of Food for Lent” program. Cash donations may be given to any Knight. All donations will be given to ARM (Assistance Resource Ministries) and Food for the Multitude in Elizabethton.

Money collected through this year’s Lenten baby-bottle project will be given to Elizabethton’s Abortion Alternatives and Women’s Center to help women and children in need. Families are encouraged to put money into the baby bottles during Lent and return them to the church on Easter weekend.

St. Elizabeth Church volunteers will prepare and serve meals for homeless and elderly people through the Food for the Multitude program Saturday, March 10, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. To volunteer, call Chuck Muraski at 423-6767510. St. Elizabeth volunteers served meals to 215 people on Feb. 4, 333 on Dec. 24, 326 on Nov. 19, and 285 on Oct. 10.

St. Henry, Rogersville The women of the parish met Jan. 18 at The Brick Oven in Rogersville to discuss several upcoming projects.

Anniversary: Mark and Patricia Myers (30)

St. Patrick, Morristown The parish International Dinner raised $1,970 to benefit a leper colony in Ghana.

St. Patrick Church will have Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. Fridays during Lent.

Lenten meals sponsored by various parish groups will be served in the parish center at 6 p.m.

Father Louis J. Villarreal, OMI, will speak at all Masses on the weekend of March 3 and 4 about Food for the Poor, a ministry providing direct relief to the poor throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Plans are under way for the 11th annual Shamrock Shenanigans and Irish Adventure Rally on Saturday, March 17. For more information, call the church office at 423-586-9174. n

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

March 4, 2012 17

Smoky Mountain Deanery calendar

Parish notes: Smoky Mountain Deanery

A Seekers of Silence Contemplative Saturday Morning will be held March 17 at Blessed John XXIII Catholic Center in Knoxville. In observation of Contemplative Outreach’s United in Prayer Day,

Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville Pastoral associate Dr. Ruth Queen Smith presented a parish mission Feb. 27 through 29.

Holy Ghost, Knoxville

participants will view a video by Father Thomas Keating, OCSO. Coffee and tea will be served at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring a bag lunch. RSVP at 865-523-7931. n

Holy Family couple celebrates 50th anniversary

ichard and Joan Saas of Holy Family Parish in Seymour celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Feb. 17.

They were married at Holy Cross Church in Trenton, N.J., on Feb. 17, 1962. Mr. Saas is retired from TenTec Inc. in Sevierville, where he held the position of tool-room manager.

Mrs. Saas worked at Trenton Trust Bank and is now a homemaker and volunteer worker.

They are the parents of Rich and Regina Saas of Hixson; Jeffery Scott Saas, who is deceased; and Michele Ann Saas of Sevierville. They have two grandsons.

The couple plans to celebrate their anniversary with a romantic dinner and a weekend away. A celebration

The parish donated chips and drinks to youth in the juvenile detention center for Super Bowl Sunday.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville High tea was served Feb. 19 in the parish hall.

Knights of Columbus served a spaghetti dinner for Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21.

The women’s guild is collecting handmade or purchased lap quilts and afghans to be distributed to Meals on Wheels the week before Easter. A collection basket will be available in the back of church during Lent.

A fund to replace the church’s slate roof and acoustic tile ceiling has been established. A collection will be held the second Sunday of each month.

Baptism: Hattie Adeline, daughter of Larry and Cheri Perry

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa A Jan. 27 spaghetti dinner and auction raised more than $8,200 in support of the Knights of Columbus and Council of Catholic Women charities and the high school CYO program.

COURTESY OF RICK SAAS

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Parishioners attended a church unity dinner at Washington Pike United Methodist Church on Jan. 18.

Joan and Richard Saas

will be held later in the year when family and friends can get together. n

A pancake breakfast to support parish seminarian Alex Hernandez was served Feb. 5.

The 55-Plus group hosted bingo and a potluck Feb. 10.

St. Albert the Great, Knoxville A class on couponing was held Feb. 9.

Parishioner Claudia Klinghoffer, a licensed Zumba instructor, is offering a free class to parishioners who sign up. Classes are held at Fit-N-Fast, 6974 Maynardville Highway. Call Ms. Klinghoffer at 865-377-3302.

A parishioner, a single mother with two small children, needs a used car. Call Joan Eiffe at 938-5825.

St. Mary, Gatlinburg Anniversary: John and Lynn Celestin (59) n

18 March 4, 2012

COURTESY OF DEBBIE DONAHOO

The Majic singers caroled at an assisted living center on Valentine’s Day.

Ladies of Charity boutique benefits emergency-assistance program The 12th annual Holiday Gift Boutique benefiting the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville was held the weekend before Thanksgiving in the Sacred Heart Cathedral School gym.

Featured were 30 vendors, music by children of Sacred Heart, a “Soulfood Café,” free massage therapy, and numerous gift opportunities. Proceeds went to the Ladies’ emergency-assistance program for the needy.

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

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Catholic schools

Notre Dame hosts ‘African-American Read-In’ event

Catholic Schools Week celebrated Diocesan schools take part in the annual observance Jan. 29 through Feb. 5.

COURTESY OF PAM RHOADES

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eventh-grade students, eighthgrade choir members, and eighth-grade drama students at Sacred Heart Cathedral School performed a production titled See the Face of God in All on Feb. 2 during Catholic Schools Week.

Students wrote and performed the text based on their own experiences.

They also sang and provided the accompaniment for several songs that fit the theme of recognizing Christ in the face of the poor, sick, homeless, and lonely. A slide show accompanied the performance with pictures that included service projects the students had completed at the Salvation Army.

“The show was a culmination of many months of study in which the students experienced firsthand the joy of touching the lives of the ones

Sacred Heart foursome Students (from left) Chase Wood, Cole Ferraro, Annie Graham, and Ella Cathey were among those performing in See the Face of God in All.

most vulnerable in our society,” said Mary Beth Townsend, Sacred Heart’s liturgical music director.

“Students truly had an opportunity to see and be the face of God,” she added. n

On Feb. 17 and 21 Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga hosted an “AfricanAmerican Read-In” event as part of its Black History Month celebration.

Sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and NCTE’s Black Caucus, the event brought together community leaders, parents, and students to read and discuss African-American literature and civil-rights issues.

Readers included Sen. Andy Berke, Mayor Ron Littlefield, Commissioner Warren Mackey, Judge Curtis Collier, Chattanooga Education, Arts & Culture administrator Missy Crutchfield, Chattanooga Urban League CEO James McKissic, Chattanooga Neighborhood Association Council vice president Cynthia Stanley-Cash, WRCB news anchor LaTrice Currie, Goodwill Youth Advantage director Ivan Patton, and the NAACP’s ACT-SO coordinator Vincent Phipps. n

COURTESY OF GAYLE SCHOENBORN

KCHS wrestlers make All-District

Story time Jay Nguyen, a student at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, reads to students Jan. 31 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School during Catholic Schools Week.

The East Tennessee Catholic

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

Knoxville Catholic High School wrestlers Ray Reinke, Nathan Teter, John Cortese, and Zach Cole made the All-District Team for the 2011-12 season.

The district coach-of-the-year honor went to the Irish’s Justin Anderson.

The wrestling team finished sixth in the region, and Ray and Nathan qualified for the state tournament. n

March 4, 2012 19

Catholic schools

20 March 4, 2012

All-school event St. Mary School in Oak Ridge held its fourth annual Faith Rally on Feb. 3. Father Christopher Riehl (right photo) was among several priests who took part in the event.

School celebrates annual Faith Rally during Catholic Schools Week

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t. Mary School in Oak Ridge celebrated its fourth annual Faith Rally on Feb. 3 as the high point of Catholic Schools Week.

The rally included a eucharistic procession after Mass and a closing Benediction and praise music.

Throughout the morning, students rotated through three sessions in their “Faith Families”—16 groups with students from each grade unOLPH player named nation’s top middle school kicker Alex Darras, an eighth-grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga, has been rated the top middle school kicker in America, according to prokicker.com. Alex’s average kickoff distance is 56 yards with a hang time of nearly four seconds. In OLPH’s 12-1 season last fall, Alex put one of every two kickoffs into the end zone, made field goals from beyond 40 yards, and missed only one of 32 extra-point attempts. Look for an article on Alex in the April edition of the ETC.

der the patronage of the 16 Faith Rally saints—taking turns praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the gym “chapel,” performing their Faith Family saint skits, and making cards for parents and the residents of Greene Valley Developmental Center.

The afternoon included an outdoor break, a rosary led by the eighth-graders, and a Benediction procession through the assembled

students and guests.

The school thanked Father Christopher Riehl, Monsignor Xavier Mankel, Father John Orr, and Father David Carter for celebrating the Mass, offering the sacrament of reconciliation, and giving the closing Benediction, and all of the Home & School Association parent volunteers who provided supervision and volunteer hospitality throughout the day. n

COURTESY OF BILLY DEARING

The Knoxville Catholic High School swimming and diving team competed in the Tennessee State High School Championships in Nashville on Feb. 10 and 11.

The girls team finished fifth, placing ahead of every Knoxville school and securing the highest finish in KCHS history. Ellen Bradford became a two-time state champ and KCHS record holder in the 200-meter individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Ellen was also named the outstanding female swimmer of the meet. (See related story on page 12.)

The girls medley relay team of Ellen, Marisa Connolly, Caroline Gettelfinger, and Ali Gilbertson finished seventh. The girls 200 freestyle relay team of Ali, Katie McCarty, Lucy Fortune, and Caroline placed 11th. The girls 400 free relay quartet of Lucy, Caroline, Marisa, and Ellen took eighth place.

Emily Boone finished sixth and Caylyn Reed 14th in 1-meter diving. Lucy placed 13th in the 500 free and Marisa 13th in the 100 breast.

For the KCHS boys, Jake Dovgan was first alternate in the 100 butterfly, placing 17th.

Jake finished 19th in the 200 IM. Other boys who competed for the Irish were Kevin Nicholson, Derek Connolly, and Matt Dovgan.

KCHS’s head coach of 24 years, Anita Dinwiddie, was named the girls state coach of the year. n

COURTESY OF KATHRYN CHOU (2)

Lady Irish place fifth in state swim meet

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

dioknox.org

The view from here

by Mary C. Weaver

A great blessing

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As she takes her leave, the ETC editor muses on 10 years with the Diocese of Knoxville.

arch 2 is my last day as media director for the Diocese of Knoxville. Leaving is bittersweet, and I spent a long time mulling over the decision. Officially speaking, I’m taking early retirement. But I don’t intend to relax.

I’m starting two businesses—one as a communications consultant and the other as a wellness coach.

People have asked why I’m leaving, and it’s hard to explain. Usually I just say it’s time—that I’ve had a great run and done everything I dreamed of doing, and now I’m called to move on.

We’ve interviewed some fine candidates, and I expect Bishop Richard F. Stika will name the new media director soon. You’ll be in good hands.

As I’ve thought about what I wanted to say in this column, I keep recalling what brought me here in the first place. So let me go back to the beginning.

In 1988 I left my job at magazine publisher Whittle Communications in order to do what plenty of editorial people dream of: work as a freelance writer and editor. That’s what I did for 12 years, and I had plenty of interesting work to keep me occupied.

I launched a couple of magazines and a book press, wrote scads of articles for print publications and later the web, and managed some goodsized web projects. I was comfortable being my own boss, and I never intended to take another job.

One night in June 2001 after choir practice, two of my best friends said they thought I should apply for the ETC editor’s position, which had just opened up. My instant response was “I’m not interested in that job.”

But for some reason I started thinking about it, and a few days later I decided to apply. I still wasn’t sure I The East Tennessee Catholic

wanted the job—any job—but I decided it couldn’t hurt to learn more.

So I submitted my letter and resume and ended up having a couple of conversations with then–Father James Vann Johnston Jr., now the bishop of Springfield–Cape Girardeau, Mo. The more I talked to him, the more I liked him, and the more interested I became in working for the Diocese of Knoxville.

Let me shorten the story by saying that I had loved the Church for years but that as I went through the interview process, I fell in love with the diocese, Father Johnston, and then–Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz, East Tennessee’s second ordinary. By the time I was offered the job, I wanted it passionately. I wanted the chance to use my skills to serve the Church.

I’ve never regretted taking this job. I’ve now had the privilege of serving two bishops: Archbishop Kurtz for six years and Bishop Stika for three. My team and I have had the opportunity to cover some pivotal events for the local and universal Church, among them the death of Blessed Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI; the departure of Bishop Kurtz and the ordination of Bishop Stika; the ordination of 13 priests and more than 30 deacons; the naming of Sts. Peter and Paul Church as a basilica; various parishes’ 50th, 100th, and 150th anniversaries; the creation of St. Albert the Great Parish; and the dedication of many church buildings.

Dan McWilliams, my assistant editor, and I pulled two all-nighters during my time at the paper. The first was in April 2005, when John Paul II died and we needed to put together a special edition of the newspaper in a hurry. (You can view it online at bit.ly/yO4VgL.) The second was in 2009, as we

prepared the gigantic special issue mailed just before Bishop Stika’s ordination. Our staff—Dan, administrative assistant Margaret Hunt, and I—won second place for it (we lost to the Archdiocese of New York) in the Catholic Press Association’s awards competition that year. (You can view it at bit.ly/x1IOLD.) All of us labored mightily on that edition, and it means a lot to me that our brandnew bishop was proud of it too.

Here’s what I’m most proud of: my wonderful staffers (including intern Toni Pacitti)—who are both co-workers and friends—and both bishops whom I’ve served, for speaking the truth with courage. I’m also proud of the ETC newspaper and the dioknox. org website. During my tenure, our office has initiated two redesigns of the newspaper (May 2002 and May 2011) and two website launches (February 2006 and January 2010). Incidentally, our 2011 newspaper format and both of our excellent diocesan websites were designed by Knoxville graphic designer Carol Rumbolt.

No newspaper is perfect, and no newspaper can please everyone.

Some readers think the ETC is “too conservative” and others, “too liberal.” I have a hearty dislike of using political terminology in discussions of faith. My goal is to make certain the newspaper is orthodox. It is, after all, published by a bishop of the Catholic Church and exists to support his teaching office.

Thank you, Bishop Stika, Archbishop Kurtz, Bishop Johnston, Chancery colleagues, priests, parish staffers, and members of the faithful. You’ve helped me, motivated me, welcomed me, and supported me for the past 10 years. Working for the Diocese of Knoxville has been one of the great blessings of my life. n

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

Deacon Joe Solis

Deacon Joe Solis dies at 78 St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville has been in mourning after the recent death of Deacon Joe Solis, 78, in a car accident.

Millie Solis, the deacon’s wife, underwent heart surgery in Nashville on Jan. 13. The next day, Deacon Solis and friend Larry Davis were traveling home on U.S. Highway 70 in Cumberland County when another driver crossed the median and collided head on with Mr. Davis’ vehicle, in which the deacon was a passenger. The driver of the other car, Daniel A. McClatchie, was killed, and Mr. Davis was severely injured.

“Deacon Joe was a very kind, gentle man who was very devoted to his parish and very devoted to the diaconate, and he’ll be greatly missed,” said Bishop Richard F. Stika. “I ask everyone in the diocese to pray for Millie in this very difficult time for her.”

A rosary was prayed for Deacon Solis at St. Alphonsus Church on Jan. 27. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in the future. n

March 4, 2012 21

Living the readings

Weekday Readings

A journey through Lent

Sunday, March 4: Second Sun-

day of Lent, Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Psalm 116:10, 1519; Roman 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10 Monday, March 5: Daniel 9:4-

10; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13; Luke 6:36-38 Tuesday, March 6: Isaiah 1:10,

16-20; Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23; Matthew 23:1-12 Wednesday, March 7: Jeremiah

18:18-20; Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16; Matthew 20:17-28 Thursday, March 8: Jeremiah

17:5-10; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 16:19-31 Friday, March 9: Genesis 37:3-4,

12-13, 17-28; Psalm 105:16-21; Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 Saturday, March 10: Micah 7:14-

15, 18-20; Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Sunday, March 11: Third Sunday

of Lent, Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19:8-11; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25 Monday, March 12: 2 Kings 5:1-

15; Psalms 42:2-3 and 43:3-4; Luke 4:24-30 Tuesday, March 13: Daniel 3:25,

34-43; Psalm 25:4-9; Matthew 18:21-35 Wednesday, March 14: Deuter-

onomy 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147:1213, 15-16, 19-20; Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday, March 15: Jeremiah

7:23-28; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; Luke 11:14-23 Friday, March 16: Hosea 14:2-

10; Psalm 81:6-11, 14, 17; Mark 12:28-34 Saturday, March 17: Hosea 6:1-

6; Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21; Luke 18:9-14 Sunday, March 18: Fourth Sun-

day of Lent, 2 Chronicles 36:14-

Readings continued on page 23

22 March 4, 2012

by Father Joseph Brando

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March’s Sunday liturgies present the Lenten message’s essence.

arch contains all the Sundays of Lent except the first Sunday and Palm Sunday. Its Sunday liturgies present the essence of the Lenten message as well as many of the basic themes of sacred Scripture. We will look at these themes, starting with the Old Testament passages, and then their fulfillment in the life of Jesus in the Gospels. Finally, from the New Testament epistles we will find out how they relate to our life.

We will look at the Scripture readings for year B. Many parishes, especially those that enjoy highly developed RCIA programs, will use the readings for year A, which fit into the rites the catechumens will experience.

The first reading for the first Sunday of March makes a beautiful bookend with the Gospel for the last Sunday of March. Together the two tie together March’s readings as a kind of self-contained entity. It’s taken from the fourth chapter of Genesis and tells the story of when God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. The last Gospel of March is from John and tells us about Jesus’ realization that the hour had come for him to be sacrificed according to the Father’s will.

Abraham and Sarah were well up in age and exceedingly happy when God blessed them with a child, through whom Abraham would become the father of many nations.

Now God was telling Abraham to slaughter Isaac as a human sacrifice.

Isaac even helped his father carry the wood to the designated place, Moriah. Dauntless, Abraham tied down his son and took the knife to slaughter him. Only then did God tell Abraham to exchange Isaac with a ram that was nearby.

Neither Abraham nor Isaac

flinched. Both passed what had been a test of will. Abraham would not hold back his only beloved son from God. This proved that his love for God paralleled the love that God is.

Having peeked ahead at the Gospel at the end of the month, we see that God the Father was in the same spot as Abraham. He did offer his Son as a holocaust, and Jesus willingly assumed the role of Isaac. The kind of love that echoes God’s love certainly deserves the reward promised by the angel of the Lord, namely abundant divine blessings and countless descendants. According to Paul, we as baptized Christians are among those descendants.

The third Sunday of Lent (the second of March) introduces another basic Old Testament theme, that of the Exodus. The specific episode is that of the giving of the Ten Commandments. These commands of God were much less demanding than what he ordered Abraham to do. But they were no less significant.

They were the sign of the covenant between God and Israel. Their effect was to unite a people. Thus the commandments made the people strong not only as a unified nation but also as a people invested in God’s love.

The following Sunday’s Old Testament reading comes from second Chronicles. In a look back at Jewish history, the chronicler judges that the evils of Babylon’s devastating conquest of Judea were the result of Judah’s failure to abide by the commandments the people had received at Sinai, even though God, in his compassion, had sent many messengers warning them to turn back to him.

They lost much more than the battles. They found themselves deported to serve the Babylonians in Chaldea. The key word in this

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

narrative is compassion. Regardless of their faults, God still loved his chosen people. Despite all the evil of conquest, desolation, and exportation, God still loved them and even raised up the Persians to be saviors of Israel. They got back their land, their independence, and a new Temple to boot. God is good.

The final Old Testament passage of the month comes from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. He presents another gift that God was going to give his people sometime after their return from exile: they would receive a New Covenant. And it would be more intimate than the one with Abraham.

This commandment would be stronger than the one written

by God on stone. It would come straight from God to our hearts.

Every person would feel the love of God directly. We would be united, without any outside intermediary.

We would have all the advantages of unity, strength, and divine love.

In addition, we would know God deeply and personally.

Themes come to fruition in Christ

Now we go back to the beginning of March to determine how the themes of God’s fatherly love, the Exodus, and God’s covenants with us come to fruition in the life of Christ. The second Sunday of Lent on March 4 takes us to the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John.

They see more than Jesus transfigured. They have a vision of Elijah and Moses as well. Their appearance is exceedingly important.

Yes, Elijah represents the prophets and Moses the Law, and their presence connects Jesus’ actions with those of the Old Testament. Yet it’s more than that. Both figures were liberators. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Elijah delivered Israel from the religious domination of the Baals, introduced

by Queen Jezebel and King Ahab.

Later, Elijah encountered God on Mount Horeb, which is right next to dioknox.org

Mount Sinai, where Moses received the commandments.

Jesus is now identified with Elijah and Moses as a liberator, as a hero, and as the maker of a new covenant with the Father. In fact, he is identified as the beloved Son of God. Jesus now has the credentials to establish another covenant. He is the Son that Isaac only symbolized.

It’s a shame Peter was confused and wanted Jesus to institutionalize the place of this theophany. Just as Moses came down from Mount Sinai and set the people straight and Elijah came down from Mount Horeb to set Israel aright and prepare his successor, Elisha, to reestablish worship of the true God in Israel, so Jesus had to come down the mountain of Transfiguration to establish the New Covenant by his death and resurrection and set up the Twelve as its first leaders. Isaac was spared from sacrificial death by the substitution of a lamb. Jesus became the lamb whose sacrifice liberates us from our sins and establishes the New Covenant in us.

In the next Sunday’s Gospel we see Jesus taking this mission very seriously. He cleanses the Temple with all the verve of an Elijah. John the Evangelist is reminded of the Scripture saying, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Indeed, Jesus is consumed and makes a statement that will be used against him at his trial: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Jesus had totally identified himself with the Temple. The identification is appropriate. Both it and he are sacraments of God’s presence in this world.

In the following week’s Gospel, John makes another connection between Jesus and Israel’s sojourn in the desert. During the Exodus (which one would think was a glorious time) people complained of the hardships they had to endure. They even complained about the “wretched” manna and the imposing presence of God in the pillar of fire and cloud. For this, they were punished The East Tennessee Catholic

by means of poisonous snakes. The serpents produced God’s desired effect in making the Israelites beg for forgiveness.

That led to a sequence of events that Jesus applied to himself. The people sinned, and God sent serpents. The people repented, and in response God had a bronze serpent hung up for people to behold and to be cleansed. Jesus applied this sequence to himself. People had sinned, and God had sent one who would take on the appearance of a sinner (namely, one who had been crucified) for repentant people to behold and be saved. In fact, they would be freed of all the sin of this world and gain eternal life.

The fifth Sunday of Lent (the last Sunday of March this year) presents the other bookend to the Old Testament reading of the Second Sunday of Lent. In it we heard the story of Abraham and Isaac. Now we hear a story of Jesus and his heavenly Father. Imagine Isaac’s grief when he found out his father was bent on offering him up as a human holocaust to God. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus says in anguish, “I am troubled now.” He asks to be saved from this hour.

Yet virtually in mid-sentence, Jesus changes his request and glorifies his father’s name, realizing this is the very mission he had come to fulfill.

He wants to do the Father’s will.

Isaac is spared because he only prefigured who Jesus was. Both, however (one more than the other), were embodiments of God’s supreme love.

The scene ends with a sound in response that even the crowd heard.

The Father’s love is so profound that his words were not merely received in the privacy of Jesus’ heart but also became audible to the bystanders.

Filled with that consolation, Jesus could continue through his hour.

‘We live in Christ’

Finally, let’s look at the New Testament readings for March. We’ll search them for present-day appli-

cations of the themes that carried over from the Old Testament to the Gospels. First up is the passage from chapter eight of Romans. We know that Jesus—who is typified by Moses and Elijah—is identified with the love God showed us in the covenants and that he truly died for us.

The application is simply this: if God’s love for us is that strong, who can be against us? We can and should live in complete confidence, not worrying about anything. Even more, we can be assured that God will not condemn us. After all, he allowed his Son to die for us. God forgives us and intercedes for us.

We are fortunate indeed.

The next Sunday we have a passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In it Paul, in a way, admits that what he wrote to the Romans seems too good to be true.

It sounds like foolishness. To proclaim Christ crucified is actually a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to gentiles. It may even not make sense to Paul.

That’s because we are trying to understand a function of the divine.

God does not follow the same logic as we do. In order to understand, we must depart from our normal thought patterns and conform our understanding to God. If we can, we’ll find the essence of divine love in the life of Christ. We’ll examine the reality of Jesus’ passion and death. At first glance, it seems weak and foolish. But if we persist in our search, we’ll be able to fathom how deeply God loves us. And we will be changed.

On the third Sunday of the month we read a section from the second chapter of Ephesians. We are led another step deeper into God’s love.

We can experience a special effect of God’s love: that is, mercy.

Paul presents and develops a fact of spiritual life—that we live in Christ. We are with Christ at the right hand of the Father. To live this life is to be “in grace.” It comes to

Readings continued from page 22

16, 19-23; Psalm 137:1-6; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21 Monday, March 19: Solemnity of

Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16; Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29; Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24 Tuesday, March 20: Ezekiel 47:1-

9, 12; Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9; John 5:1-16 Wednesday, March 21: Isaiah

49:8-15; Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18; John 5:17-30 Thursday, March 22: Exodus

32:7-14; Psalm 106:19-23; John 5:31-47 Friday, March 23: Wisdom 2:1,

12-22; Psalm 34:17-21, 23; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Saturday, March 24: Jeremiah

11:18-20; Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12; John 7:40-53 Sunday, March 25: Fifth Sunday

of Lent, Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33 Monday, March 26: Solemnity

of the Annunciation of the Lord, Isaiah 7:10-14 and 8:10; Psalm 40:7-11; Hebrews 10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38 Tuesday, March 27: Numbers

21:4-9; Psalm 102:2-3, 16-21; John 8:21-30 Wednesday, March 28: Daniel

3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Daniel 3:5253, 55-56; John 8:31-42 Thursday, March 29: Genesis

17:3-9; Psalm 105:4-9; John 8:51-59 Friday, March 30: Jeremiah

20:10-13; Psalm 18:2-7; John 10:31-42 Saturday, March 31: Ezekiel

37:21-28; Jeremiah 31:10-13; John 11:45-56 n

Brando continued on page 26

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

March 4, 2012 23

Marriage enrichment: a Lenten retreat

Life and dignity

This too is my body

By Marian Christiana The February 2012 issue of The Word Among Us includes an article titled “Preparing Our Hearts for Lent.” It explains how the Lenten season can be a collective retreat with our fellow Christians to help us prepare for the celebration of Easter.

A Lenten retreat is a time to clear away the clutter in our life and reflect on our relationship with our Lord. Let’s take this opportunity and share the experience with our spouse.

The following meditation format can easily be incorporated into your Lenten practices and won’t take much additional time.

It consists of simply reading several of the questions Christ poses in the Gospels and thinking of them as though he were directing them to you.

Let the questions meet you where you are right now. Do not be surprised if you find a different meaning to a question each time you read it, consider it, and answer it throughout your day.

First let’s look at the questions and then the format for the remainder of the Lenten season: n Week one: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28) n Week two: “What do you seek?” (John 1:38) n Week three: “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8) n Week four: “If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?” (Luke 12:26) n Week five: “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) Each Sunday, write out the question you and your spouse will use as your meditation for the week. Tape it to your bath-

Marriage continued on page 25

24 March 4, 2012

by Paul Simoneau

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There is only one response the bride of Christ can give to the gift of our eucharistic Lord.

n the wake of the outcry led by the U.S. bishops over the Obama administration’s mandate to include abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization in health-care plans, an irony continues to be pointed out in the media: Why should Catholics, when so many disagree with the Church’s teaching on contraception, care about the federal government’s mandate? It’s a fair question, even if it’s posed to create division between Catholics or portray the Church as hypocritical for defending its moral teachings.

There is far more at stake with this mandate than contraception, as Bishop Richard F. Stika has pointed out (see dioknox.org/ home/stika-hhs/). And although it is imperative that we continue to defend our religious freedom and rights of conscience from the coercion and overreach of the federal government, we should also take time to reflect on the teaching of the Church that continues to be so widely criticized and used as a wedge to divide public opinion and Catholics themselves.

“This is a hard saying, who can take this kind of talk?” (John 6:60).

In the 2,000-year history of the Church, no other teaching comes as close as the 1968 encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, to causing the kind of reaction engendered by Jesus’ teaching that his “flesh is real food” and his “blood real drink” (John 6:55). This is no coincidence, for the Eucharist and the Church’s teaching on the nature of spousal love are profoundly related. Together they represent both sides of the same coin: one the teaching of the bridegroom and the other his bride.

Many had hoped Paul VI, in addressing the subject of contraception,

would soften rather than reaffirm the Church’s consistent teaching.

But he could no more do that than he could say Christ died for some but not all. What is expressed in Humanae Vitae goes beyond the mere physical relationship of spouses to the very essence of what it means to be a bride of Christ.

St. Paul explains that the “two in one flesh” union of a man and woman in holy matrimony is a “great mystery” for it is an image of the love of Christ the bridegroom and his bride, the Church

Our “attitude must be that of Christ” (Philippians 2:5), who withheld nothing of himself for love of us.

(Ephesians 5:25-33). The Church is the bride of Christ, and through our baptism each of us, male and female, becomes a bride called to communion—to become one—with Christ.

In every Mass Our heavenly bridegroom calls us to communion with the words, “This is my body, This is . . . my blood.” What other response can we give as a bride of Christ than to repeat his words back to him and say, “This too is my body . . . , This too is my blood.” But what do those words really mean?

So often we hear the refrain, “It’s my body, and I’ll do with it as I please.” But our “attitude must be that of Christ” (Philippians 2:5), who withheld nothing of himself for love of us. In Humanae Vitae we are reminded that the measure of Christ’s love is the measure we must strive to imitate—to be a free, total, faithful, and fruitful gift of self (No. 9) to God and to neighbor.

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

Jesus freely laid down his life for love of his bride (John 10:18) and made a total sacrifice of himself that we “might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Christ forever remains faithful even if we are not (2 Timothy 2:13), and he desires a fruitful communion, not sterility (John 15:8; Mark 4:8). This is why the Church teaches that we must not separate the unitive act of marital communion from its procreative meaning (Humanae Vitae, No. 12): it is an image of our heavenly communion. To deliberately frustrate the potential for fruitfulness is to be like the man in the parable who buries his talent in the ground instead of permitting it to earn interest (Matthew 25:25).

Sadly, we all engage in contraception when, because of pride and sin, we withhold the gift of self to God or restrict his grace in our hearts. To the degree we do, we render sterile our communion with him as well as with our neighbor. It is precisely the fruit of this communion with God that we are called to share through the gift of ourselves to our neighbor, beginning within marriage and family, the smallest cell of society.

What is injustice but withholding what is due to others? Because we are made in the image of God, who is love, and are called to love as God loves, the measure of this gift of self must be superabundant and without measure. This is true of our relationship with God and with one another. This is the essence of what the Church teaches and why it so strenuously defends against a contraceptive mentality and legislation to mandate it. n Mr. Simoneau directs the diocesan Justice and Peace Office. dioknox.org

Understanding the sacraments

by Father Randy Stice

Marriage continued from page 24

Signs and symbols

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They ‘constitute a “liturgical language” formed over the centuries by the Church.’

e are at once both body and spirit, and so we express and perceive “spiritual realities through physical signs and symbols” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1146). In addition, because we are social beings, we need signs and symbols to communicate with others through language, gestures, and actions. The same is true of our relationship with God. For this reason, every “sacramental celebration is woven from signs and symbols” (CCC, No. 1145).

For its sacramental celebrations the Church has discerned signs and symbols from “creation (candles, water, fire), human life (washing, anointing, breaking bread), and the history of salvation (the rites of the Passover)” (CCC, No. 1189). In his public ministry the Lord Jesus used signs and symbolic gestures taken from creation (such as the parable of the sower), drew parables from daily life (the Good Samaritan), and gave new meaning to the deeds and signs of the Old Covenant (for example, John 3:14, the bronze serpent), “for he himself is the meaning of all these signs” (CCC, No. 1151).

These signs, symbols, words, and actions together constitute a “liturgical language” formed over the centuries by the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “Integrated into the world of faith and taken up by the power of the Holy Spirit, these cosmic elements, human rituals, and gestures of remembrance of God become bearers of the saving and sanctifying action of Christ” (CCC, No. 1189). The power of the paschal mystery is conveyed to us in a unique way through these particular signs and symbols.

This is why the Church exercises such care and vigilance over the celebration of the liturgy (which inThe East Tennessee Catholic

cludes not only the sacraments but also Christian funerals, blessings, and the Liturgy of the Hours). The Second Vatican Council warned that modifications and simplifications of the liturgy would deprive it “of the sacramental signs and special beauty necessary for the mystery of salvation to be really effective in the Christian community and to be rightly understood—with due instruction—under visible symbols” (Liturgicae Instaurationes, 1970). At stake in the faithful celebration of the sacraments is the manifestation of the full reality and power of Christ’s paschal mystery.

In recent years a failure to understand this liturgical language has resulted in a desire to add new ritual elements to the sacraments. For example, one sometimes sees the conferral of stoles during the celebration of confirmation. This is problematic for two reasons: stoles are not part of the rite of confirmation but they are part of another sacrament, the sacrament of holy orders (diaconate and priesthood). The result is a confusion of sacramental signs.

Furthermore, the addition of such nonsacramental elements can obscure the essential signs and symbols of the sacramental rite, which should be explored in all their richness. Integral to the sacrament of confirmation, for example, is anointing with chrism—perfumed oil that is consecrated by the bishop, signifying the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Church has developed a rich theology of this central action over the centuries.

Around the year 200 Tertullian wrote, “It is with this oil that Aaron was anointed by Moses; whence comes his name of the Anointed which comes from chrisma, meaning anointing. It is this anointing

(chrisma) which gave its name to the Lord, having become a spiritual anointing. For he was indeed anointed with the Spirit by the Father . . . Thus on us the anointing is spread so that we can feel it, but it operates spiritually.” For Tertullian, the anointing at confirmation is in continuity with the anointing of Aaron and of Jesus.

Cyril of Jerusalem, writing in the early fourth century, explained the significance of the chrism: “Take care not to imagine that this muron [chrism] is anything ordinary. In the same way as the bread of the Eucharist, after the invocation of the Holy Spirit, is no more ordinary bread, but the Body of Christ, so the holy muron is no longer ordinary, or if you prefer the word, common, after the epiclesis [the invocation of the Holy Spirit], but the charism of Christ, made efficacious of the Holy Spirit by the presence of his divinity.” These examples only touch on the richness of the sacramental signs of chrism and anointing.

The signs, symbols, words, and actions that make up the sacraments are “bearers of the saving and sanctifying action of Christ” (CCC, No. 1189) in a way that other signs and symbols are not. Sacramental signs not only instruct but also “accomplish what they signify” (CCC, No. 1155). The Holy Spirit, through the sacramental signs, “makes present the ‘wonders’ of God which [the Word of God] proclaims. The Spirit makes present and communicates the Father’s work, fulfilled by the beloved Son” (CCC, No. 1155). Before this great mystery we can only bow in humility and gratitude. n Father Stice directs the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox.org.

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

room mirror. Every evening, share with each other one answer that came to you that day.

At the end of each week, discuss what action you can take as a couple to respond to Jesus’ question.

I hope you find this a rewarding meditation exercise as you prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday. n Mrs. Christiana is coordinator of the diocesan Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Office.

Jobs available The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville is seeking a manager for its emergency assistance pantry, Monday through Friday, 25 to 30 hours per week. The position is paid. A degree in social work is preferred. Good interviewing and people skills are a necessity. Some physical labor is involved. Fax resume to 865-6918779 or mail to 120 W. Baxter Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917.

Sacred Heart Cathedral School (K-8) is accepting applications for a technology coordinator. Applicants should have experience in a school setting and or/training in technology education. Applicants should be proficient with Microsoft Office, Mac OS X Lion, and educational software and hardware; must have an eye for detail, be a self-starter, and possess good verbal and written skills.

Occasional evenings and weekends are required. Benefits are excellent, and opportunities for extracurricular involvement are included. Send letter and resume to Sedonna Prater, Principal, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, 711 Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919; e-mail resume to djackson@shcknox.org. n March 4, 2012 25

Once upon a time

Brando continued from page 23

us from God in his gift of faith.

None of this is due to our actions. Therefore, we should not be proud that we are graced but thankful.

Of all the themes in the liturgical Scriptures this month the most predominant is that of the relationship between Father and Son. So it is appropriate that the last reading, from the Epistle to the Hebrews, should take us to the summit.

Jesus, of course, had an intimate relationship with the Father. He both knew his Father’s will and asked to be freed from it. But the strong love bond between them and their shared love for us humans led our Lord to suffer and to die. Through his sacrificial death, Jesus became perfect and the source of eternal life for us. Baptized Christians share Christ’s life in heaven, even now.

What a month. We began with the unlikely hike of Abraham and Isaac to Moriah, witnessed the end of Jesus’ journey in Jerusalem (whose Temple is traditionally built on the same Moriah), and concluded united with Christ in the glory of heaven. n Father Brando is the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg.

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26 March 4, 2012

by Monsignor Xavier Mankel

The Catholic press in Tennessee

T

It ‘has enjoyed a major role in the instruction in the faith given to our people.’

homas Stritch, the nephew of the late Cardinal Samuel Stritch and the late Bishop John B. Morris of Little Rock, Ark., himself a legend at Notre Dame University and professor emeritus of American studies there, has given us a valuable resource in his monumental book The Catholic Church in Tennessee: The Sesquicentennial Story (The Catholic Center, 1987). Tom reminds us that even before 1900 the Catholic Press was very much alive in these parts.

The Knights of Columbus helped Catholics who previously had felt unaccepted by Yankees and Congregationalists in the North and by others even where there were few Catholics, as in Tennessee. The KOC boldly proclaimed that Catholics are indeed first-class American citizens and that anti-Catholic bigotry was un-American. The Knights, founded in New Haven in 1882, gave strength to the Church in Nashville in 1900, in Chattanooga and Memphis in 1901, and in Knoxville in 1902.

One of the greatest services the Columbians rendered the Catholics of Tennessee was to Catholic journalism. Today the first item of business of any institution is its house organ, but the need for such was slow to take hold in the U.S. Catholic Church.

Father Isaac Hecker’s The Catholic World was for many years the leading Catholic journal. The Diocese of Nashville, founded in 1837, took a century to establish the great Tennessee Register. The diocese of Memphis had a newspaper almost as soon as it had a bishop. Knoxville had its own paper, The East Tennessee Catholic within its early years but was served admirably by the Tennessee Register until the first issue of the ETC was published, dated Sept. 8, 1991.

Monsignor George Flanigen became the first editor of the Tennessee Register in 1937 and stayed on until he became a chaplain in 1942.

So the Catholic press has enjoyed a major role in the instruction in the faith given to our people in Tennessee, especially since 1937, when Bishop William L. Adrian, D.D., launched a diocesan newspaper designed to teach and inform Catholics across the state (Memphis became a diocese on Jan. 6, 1971, and Knoxville became a see on Sept. 8, 1988).

All who served as editors were men of experience. The Register was always a fine diocesan newspaper, but it was Monsignor Owen Francis Campion, Tony Spence, and now Rick Musacchio who have, as editors, put the paper “on the map.”

Awards galore from the Catholic Press Association indicate what a gift the newspaper from the Church of the Volunteer State has been.

Bishop Carroll T. Dozier became the first bishop of the new Diocese of Memphis on Jan 6, 1971. A man of letters from the great state of Virginia, Bishop Dozier gave his new paper the enviable name Common Sense. After several years the name was changed to The West Tennessee Catholic.

The first editor of The East Tennessee Catholic was Ed Miller, already a veteran journalist when he became our founding editor. At his retirement, April Partin took the helm and continued to operate the paper in the ways she had learned from Ed. The present editor, Mary Weaver, who began in 2001, has made modifications that have been far-reaching. The publication schedule is currently once a month.

The paper includes a section in the Spanish language. Mary has had a tiny staff, and Dan McWilliams has

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

served very well as assistant editor.

His years as a sports news journalist have given him an appreciation for detail and precision that has been an earmark of his performance.

Meanwhile, since 1991 the entire media industry has been rapidly evolving. Today readers can receive their paper via e-mail. The web has found its place as an ordinary method to get the news around. Our present editor has become rather famous for her expertise as a webmaster. Recently she has announced that she is seeking a career change.

We are so very grateful for what has been done to keep our paper abreast with the times.

Underlying all this is something many of us might forget: the bishop of the diocese is not only the publisher but also the person who ultimately gives direction to the diocesan newspaper. Has it not been wonderful that the three bishops of Knoxville in our nearly quarter of a century as a local Church have given the diocesan newspaper such a place of honor in their ministry? And has it not been a special gift from God that the editors and their staffs have been capable and authentic in so many ways, offering us a publication that is evangelical in outreach, orthodox in editorial policy and stance, and well received by the Catholics of our diocese at large (the accumulated issues offer a veritable history of our diocese which will not be 25 years young until Sept. 8, 2013)?

That old saying that “the pen is mightier than the sword” is surely true when it comes to being a presence of Christ, his face, to our Catholic people in Tennessee. n Monsignor Mankel is a vicar general of the diocese and the pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville. dioknox.org

Our seminarians

Thankful ‘for the great examples of faith’ Ray Powell is inspired by East Tennessee Catholics, his family, and more. By Dan McWilliams

R

ay Powell is a Theology I student at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis. He is the son of Jesse Powell of Unionville, Mo., and the late Nola Powell. His home parish is St. Stephen in Chattanooga.

considered a religious vocation.

What things about you have changed the most as a seminarian?

What is your favorite course?

My favorite courses so far have been Catholic ethics and morality. These are the most challenging courses because they bring together all of aspects of my studies and require me to apply my academic knowledge and spirituality to real-world issues and problems. But that challenge is what makes the classes so enjoyable and beneficial. In the study of the Church’s moral teachings, I have come to a deeper realization of the incredible beauty of our faith and how it seamlessly combines with the richness of wisdom in the teachings of the Catholic Church.

What do you most look forward to in your future life as a priest?

As part of my discernment I try to focus on my current goals for improvement and not too much on the future, but I will say I hope to help people recognize and respond to the incredible love God has for each of us, in whatever way God may allow me to do so. If I am ordained, God willing, I hope to be able to bring the sacraments as well as a smile along with me wherever I go.

Who has inspired you?

The most important inspirations to me as a seminarian are the Catholic faithful of our diocese who live out their faith as they work to provide for their families and care for others in their community. Of course, the faith and loving support of my famThe East Tennessee Catholic

Ray Powell

ily have been extremely important to me. But, I am also thankful for the great examples of faith and hard work I have experienced as a member of the Knights of Columbus. I also am renewed in my faith every time I get to attend my hometown parish Bible study and when I get to see the heartfelt devotion to our Church displayed by the members of the Dominican laity chapter I belong to.

When did you first consider the priesthood?

A possible calling to the priesthood is what led me to join the RCIA program and enter the Catholic Church in 2005 at age 40. Two years later, as I was struggling with my discernment, given my age and being a convert, a parishioner had the courage to approach me and tell me about how that person felt I might have a calling to be a priest. It takes courage to do that, but I hope everyone realizes how powerful an impact he or she can have on someone discerning God’s call by just offering a word of encouragement or by asking whether someone has

I have had others tell me they notice a change in my desire to speak to others about the Catholic faith and a new sense of confidence in doing so.

As I transition from my past work as a computer programmer into life as a seminary student, I have come to realize how much I truly depend on God and the support of my family, friends, and diocese. I have been blessed to see and experience so many beautiful faith-filled moments during my short time as a seminarian, and it has helped me realize how truly blessed I am.

Along with their prayers for you, is there another way East Tennessee Catholics can support you?

Well, prayerful support is the most important. It is so very comforting to know that people are praying for us, as we certainly pray for them.

After prayer, I think the next best way to support a seminarian is by supporting our bishop with your prayers and your encouragement, and by responding as you are able to the Bishop’s Appeal. It is an incredible gift to be able to attend seminary to discern and study in preparation for ministry, something that would not be possible without the kindness, faith, and generosity of all the devoted Catholics of eastern Tennessee who work in so many different ways to support our diocese. Attending seminary has been a wonderful blessing for me, and I try to pass along to others that depth of faith and the overwhelming kindness I experience whenever I return home to East Tennessee. Thank you so much for that continued blessing. n

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

From the Paraclete: being a witness

By Vonnie Spicer What does it mean to live out our faith? In his book Seek First the Kingdom: Challenging the Culture by Living Our Faith (Our Sunday Visitor Press, 2011, $19.95) Cardinal Donald Wuerl lays a foundation for us. We have the potential to be the best citizens of our nation. This book gives us the help we need to meet the challenge.

Cardinal Wuerl tells us that we do not have the option to withdraw into a completely private spirituality. We are called not only to seek the kingdom but also to build it up. “We can’t give away anything if we don’t first own it ourselves,” he writes.

“We must make an effort to learn the faith, to know Christ deeply through faith, and then to manifest a resulting serenity and happiness in our lives.”

Cardinal Wuerl writes that there are three obstacles to the kingdom: secularism, materialism, and individualism. “These three trends can and do dominate and consume the lives of many people” and create barriers to our encounter with Christ and our ability to transform the world.

Pope Benedict calls us to a new evangelization, one that “re-proposes the perennial truth of Christ’s Gospel” to countries where faith was evident but that are now experiencing the progressive secularization of society.

Cardinal Wuerl does not pretend that being a witness is easy. It may require courage and sacrifice, but “Christians are called to stand for Christ and his kingdom.” n Visit the Paraclete at 417 Erin Drive in Knoxville; call 865-5880388; or visit the store’s Facebook page at bit.ly/theparaclete.

March 4, 2012 27

Schedule of Lenten penance services Here is a list of upcoming Lenten penance services around the Diocese of Knoxville: Chattanooga Deanery 7 p.m. EST, except as noted. March 6—Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg, 6:30 p.m.

CST; March 8—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Cleveland; March 12—Shepherd of the Valley, Dunlap, 6:30 p.m. CDT; March 15—Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga; March 19—Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy; March 20—St. Mary, Athens; March 22—Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga, 5:30 p.m.; March 26—St. Jude, Chattanooga; March 27—St. Stephen, Chattanooga; March 28—St. Bridget, Dayton, 6:30 p.m.; St. Augustine, Signal Mountain Cumberland Mountain Deanery 7 p.m. EST, except as noted. St. Christopher, Jamestown, 7:30 p.m. CST; March 7—St. Joseph, Norris, and St. Therese, Clinton, at St. Therese; Blessed Sacrament, Harriman; March 13—St. Mary, Oak Ridge; March 15—Our Lady of Perpetual Help, LaFollette; March 19—St. Alphonsus, 6 p.m. CDT; St. Ann, Lancing; March 20—St. John Neumann, Farragut; March

21—Christ the King, Tazewell; March 27—St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade, 6 p.m. CDT; April 2—All Saints, Knoxville Five Rivers Deanery 7 p.m. March 5—St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton; March 6—St. Mary, Johnson City; March 8—St. Henry, Rogersville; March 12—Catholic Community of Unicoi County; March 13—St. Dominic, Kingsport; March 14—Holy Trinity, Jefferson City; March 19—Good Shepherd, Newport; March 22—St. Patrick, Morristown; March 27— Blessed John Paul II Catholic Mission, Rutledge; March 29—Notre Dame, Greeneville Smoky Mountain Deanery 7 p.m., except as noted. March 5—Blessed John XXIII, Knoxville, 7:30 p.m.; March 8—Holy Cross, Pigeon Forge; March 12—St. Mary, Gatlinburg; March 13—Sacred Heart Cathedral; March 14—Holy Family, Seymour; March 20—Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa; March 22—St. Albert the Great, Knoxville; March 26—Holy Ghost, Knoxville, and Immaculate Conception, Knoxville, at IC; March 28—St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville n

9 Days in Holy land & Italy with

Father Albert C. Sescon St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church, Cleveland, TN

Jerusalem • Bethlehem • Galilee • Capernaum Rome • Tuscany • Florence • Assisi • Venice

June 18-July 01 | $4,699 Airfare and all Inclusive!

Entrusting all our trips to the Maternal Care of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

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855-842-8001 | 508-340-9370 Carmela A. Dupuis, Executive

9 Days in Italy with

9 Days in Italy with

Father John R. Dowling

Father David Carter

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Fairfield Glade, TN

All Saints Catholic Church, Knoxville, TN

Rome • Tuscany • Florence • Assisi • Venice June 23-July 1 | $3,599

Rome • Tuscany • Florence • Assisi • Venice June 30-July 8 | $3,599

Airfare and all Inclusive!

Airfare and all Inclusive!

Entrusting all our trips to the Maternal Care of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Entrusting all our trips to the Maternal Care of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

www.proximotravel.com email: anthony@proximotravel.com

28 March 4, 2012

855-842-8001 | 508-340-9370 Carmela A. Dupuis, Executive

www.proximotravel.com email: anthony@proximotravel.com

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

855-842-8001 | 508-340-9370 Carmela A. Dupuis, Executive dioknox.org