St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, Catholic Charities form partnership
By Gabrielle Nolan
Two local Catholic powerhouses have joined forces to begin a life-affirming partnership that will positively impact the rural communities of East Tennessee.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic (SMLC), a mobile medical clinic that provides health services to the medically uninsured, and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee (CCETN), a nonprofit organization that provides social services to thousands of clients, officially came together for the first time on Feb. 27 at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg.
The SMLC mobile clinic and CCETN’s new mobile ultrasound van were stationed in the parking lot of St. Mary, as the parish hall was used for patient intake and prescribing medications.
Before patients were seen, the staff and volunteers of both organizations held a ribbon-cutting between the two vehicles. St. Mary parish administrator Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, blessed the mobile clinics with holy water.
Deacon David Duhamel, executive director of CCETN, said that “it didn’t take much” to form the part-
Tandem ministries The St. Mary's
of East Tennessee
and the Catholic
burg on Feb. 27. Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, pastor of
Deacon David Duhamel and Sandi Davidson of Catholic Charities, Martin Vargas and Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, of the Legacy Clinic, and Walt Hanson of the Knights of Columbus to bless the mobile vans and their partnership.
nership with SMLC.
“When you have two very likeminded organizations that are focused on bringing the Gospel of life to the citizens of East Tennessee, especially those who are our most vulnerable neighbors, it worked really well,” Deacon Duhamel commented. “Being able to come and present both of these
services at the same time at a parish here in the Diocese of Knoxville was an opportunity too good to pass up. We are looking forward to continuing this relationship longterm, where both the assets will be able to be deployed in partnership where it makes sense for the community that we’re visiting, and of
Partners continued on page A15
Diocesan-wide
The East Tennessee Catholic Bishop Mark Beckman is asking everyone in the Diocese of Knoxville, from high school juniors and seniors to senior citizens, to complete a unique survey that will gauge their interest and involvement in their parishes.
The survey, called the Disciple Maker Index, is a tool provided by the Catholic Leadership Institute that provides an in-depth assessment of where parishioners are in their faith lives and their experience of parish life.
Parishes will provide parishioners a link to the survey via e-mail.
The survey results will be shared with parishioners this summer and will help parish leaders in planning for their parishes.
The Disciple Maker Index is available to parishioners Survey continued on page A7
From St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation, which celebrates 800 years this year, to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si', which marks 10 years in 2025, the Church has a long tradition of promoting the dignity of the human person, the care of creation, and God’s love for the poor.
It is in that tradition that “This Land is Home to Me,” a pastoral letter signed by 25 bishops in Appalachia, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. “This Land is Home to Me” addresses the history and needs of both people and land in Appalachia.
The idea to have a joint pastoral letter on the region came out of the work of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA). The CCA was formed in the 1960s as the Catholic caucus of CORA (Commission on Religion in Appalachia). With the federal formation of the Appalachian Regional Commission, there was a new focus on addressing the disproportionate poverty and resource needs in the region, which covers parts of 13 states.
The CCA worked with bishops of the region, which includes East Tennessee, to increase Church awareness of the characteristic issues that were unique to Appalachia. Even though Catholicism had a statistically small presence in the region, the bishops and the CCA hoped to make a large impact addressing the needs of the people.
In 1973, the CCA focused on the question “How can we, individually and corporately, work toward a more effective missionary presence of the Church in Appalachia?” The developed plan included a focus on proclaiming the Gospel message, identifying with the poor,
clarifying ministerial roles within the Catholic community, demonstrating appreciation of Appalachian culture, and acknowledging the personal need for repentance.
Similar to the most recent Synod for Synodality, there was a desire to hear from a variety of voices and have the people’s experiences lead the discussion. The CCA interviewed individuals, community groups, and church workers. Their stories were incorporated in the pastoral, which was developed in cooperation with local bishops.
Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia” was signed by 25 bishops whose dioceses covered the Appalachian region. Their united voices gave weight to the document that addresses concerns over the
and
struggles of the region, particularly in the
country of
This land is home St. James the Apostle Church in Sneedville is located within the bucolic hills and hollers of Hancock County that are part of Appalachia. The Diocese of Knoxville and its 51 parishes and mission are located in the heart of Appalachia.
Legacy Clinic
Charities
ultrasound van serve patients at St. Mary Church in Gatlin-
St. Mary, joined
GABRIELLE NOLAN
Notre Dame seeing record crowds, confessions
Paris cathedral witnessing a flood of tourists who desire a chance to ‘ meet the Lord
By Caroline De Sury OSV News
Amere three months after Notre Dame Cathedral reopened, some Catholics in France worry the massive influx of tourists has overshadowed its religious essence.
But the auxiliary bishop of Paris told OSV News it’s the opposite— with a large flow of people, more strangers are exposed to the Catholic faith, with their hearts touched by God’s presence in renovated interiors.
With 29,000 visitors a day, up from 23,500 a day before the fire in 2019, Notre Dame’s guest rates are comparable to those of the Louvre Museum, even though the museum’s surface area is considerably larger.
Auxiliary Bishop Emmanuel Tois of Paris, whose office is just about 60 feet from the cathedral, said the number of tourists flooding the cathedral doesn’t bother him. It’s a
Popular destination A woman takes a picture with her cellphone in Paris as people line up on Dec. 27 to visit Notre Dame Cathedral, which reopened on Dec. 7 after its extensive restoration following a devastating fire on April 15, 2019. A mere three months after the reopening, the iconic Gothic cathedral is receiving 29,000 visitors a day, up from 23,500 a day before the fire.
chance to meet the Lord, he said.
Bishop Tois said that the rector and chaplains of Notre Dame often circulate among the visitors in the
The Handmaids of the Precious Blood this year celebrate the 78th year since their founding in 1947; more than three-quarters of a century of prayer and sacrifice for priests. To receive weekly cartoons and short reflections and news from the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, visit their website, nunsforpriests.org, and sign up for the FIAT newsletter.
A March prayer intention for families in crisis
“Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other's gifts, even in their differences.”
Pope Francis
aisles of the cathedral.
“And they are regularly approached by people who ask for explanations, and who sometimes
"People come to me for confession even if they had not thought of it when they walked in. Some tell me it is the first time they have been to confession in 40 years!"
— Auxiliary Bishop Emmanuel Tois
explicitly ask them how they can be baptized,” he noted.
Bishop Tois often celebrates Mass at Notre Dame himself and regularly goes there on Saturday mornings to hear confessions.
“People come to me for confession even if they had not thought of it when they walked in,” he recounted. “Some tell me it is the first time they have been to confession in 40 years! Others are not baptized and know nothing about faith. But they come and sit next to me and ask me lots of questions,” he said of the conversion power of
How to sign up and qualify for Diocese of Knoxville’s safe-environment program
The Diocese of Knoxville has implemented the CMG Connect platform to administer the Safe Environment Program, which replaces the former Safe Environment Program (VIRTUS “Protecting God’s Children”).
CMG Connect is a web-based platform that will assist in ensuring that all employees and volunteers who are in a position of trust with children and vulnerable adults within Diocese of Knoxville schools and parishes are trained to recognize behavior patterns of potential abusers and provide pro-active measures for preventing abuse in any context.
“Safe Haven-It’s Up to You” is a three-part video that provides vignettes of real-life situations to educate the viewer about methods of grooming, desensitization, bullying, and neglect, all of which can lead to abuse.
Each part of the video is immediately followed by a brief questionnaire to further develop understanding.
Education is a key
element of the Safe Environment Program
All clergy, employees, contracted school personnel, volunteers, members of groups and organizations over the age of 18 who work, volunteer, or participate in any capacity are required to complete the diocesan Safe Environment training and a criminal-background check before they can begin employment, volunteer, or participate with ministries, groups, and organizations affiliated with the Diocese of Knoxville.
In addition, the mandatory renewal training must be completed every five years and a new background check submitted before the five-year expiration of prior training.
The Diocese of Knoxville Safe Environment compliance training and renewal training is a condition of employment and for volunteer ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The CMG Connect
platform contains all three elements of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program: n Annual review of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Policy and Procedures Relating to Sexual Misconduct; n CMG Connect Safe Haven training program to be completed every five years; n Criminal background check to be completed every five years.
In compliance with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Safe Environment Program, all affiliates require that volunteers and employees complete the requirements prior to working and/or volunteering in a parish, school, or through Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and/ or St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic Go to https:// dioknox.org/safeenvironment on the Diocese of Knoxville website for more information ■
Sr. Regina
2025 Handmaids of the Precious Blood
Notre Dame continued on page A24
LLent: A spiritual springtime
Practical thoughts on celebrating the Lenten season that is upon us
ent is the time each year when we are immersed more deeply in the mystery of Jesus Christ. During the course of the year, it is easy to lose track of what being a Christian is really all about. We can so often become absorbed in our daily cares and work that we forget who we are called by God to be.
Lent is the time of year when we are asked to renew deeply the promises we made in our baptism and to grow in our commitment to Christ. It also is a special time of year for those who are in the final stages of preparing for the Easter sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist.
We begin with Ash Wednesday, marked in ashes in the form of a cross, a sign of our failure to live up to the noble commitments of our baptism, and of renewed hope that the cross of Christ will draw us back to our noble dignity as God’s beloved sons and daughters.
The 40 Days of Lent remind us of the purifying flood of Noah that cleansed the earth of sin and prepared for a new creation; of the 40 years in the wilderness when the people were prepared through trials and testings for entrance into the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey; of the 40 days in the desert when Christ fasted and prayed for us, resisting temptations of this world and embracing His vocation as Son of God.
Lent draws us onward in our Christian journey to the great Triduum—“Three Days” of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday: the annual celebration of
"The 40 Days of Lent remind us of the purifying flood of Noah that cleansed the earth of sin and prepared for a new creation; of the 40 years in the wilderness when the people were prepared through trials and testings for entrance into the promised land, a land flowing with milk and honey; of the 40 days in the desert when Christ fasted and prayed for us, resisting temptations of this world and embracing His vocation as Son of God."
the saving death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church bids us to turn to fasting (letting go of what we do not really need), prayer, and almsgiving (acts of compassion and service for others) during this holy season. May the Lord renew us during these days with His saving power!
Celebrating Lent: some practical thoughts Catholics so often grew up as children giving up sweets for Lent. Here are some suggestions adults might consider: Prayer
How about:
n Turning off the radio in the car when alone and pray a rosary?
n Taking time each morning to ask God’s blessing on the day and offering the day to God?
n Taking time at night to ask God’s forgiveness for our failures that day and thank Him for the blessings of the day?
n Praying for our enemies, those we are having a hard time with, those we struggle with—praying that they might enjoy the peace and happiness we long to have for ourselves?
n Taking time to sit in silent stillness to simply be with and listen
to God?
Fasting How about:
n Leaving a meal with just a little hunger left?
n Letting go of some (or even all!) of the unnecessary time we spend on devices?
n Driving without a radio?
n Using some of the “free time” we have for taking a thoughtful walk, or reading a good spiritual book (or even one of the Gospels)?
n Abstaining from excessive shopping?
n Avoiding gossip, negative thinking, criticism of others, and attitudes that bind us up (like fear, hurt, anger, and resentment)?
n Letting go of a negative or destructive habit?
Almsgiving
How about:
n Baking something for a friend, neighbor, or family member?
n Doing something around the house or office that isn’t “my responsibility?”
n Picking up the phone to call a friend, or to send a message of thoughtfulness?
n Taking time for the important people in our lives?
n Visiting a nursing home or soup kitchen, or helping with some service project?
n Contributing to a worthy cause (like the rice bowls of Catholic Relief Services)?
n Really listening to those around us?
May God bless our Lenten beginnings with great spiritual fruitfulness that we may be well prepared to celebrate the joy of Easter! ■
Why can ’t non-Catholics receive Communion?
And why will the Church not offer a completely gluten-free host?
By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News
QWe know that Our Lord loves everyone and thus would want to be as close to each person as possible. Can non-Catholics receive Holy Communion since this would help achieve the Lord’s ultimate desire to be within the heart and soul of every human being?
My spouse is an Episcopalian and refuses to receive Holy Communion with me at Mass because she feels the Church prohibits it. I have been unable to convince her otherwise. Is her position the prevailing one within the Catholic church? (Florida)
AYour wife is correct here. Under ordinary circumstances, the Church does not allow non-Catholics to receive Holy Communion.
But this discipline is not meant to “keep people away from Jesus.” Rather, it is intended to safeguard the integrity of the Church s teaching on the Eucharist and to respect the conscience of everyone involved.
Starting with the root of the issue, the Catholic Church believes in the doctrine of the “Real Presence, ” meaning that we believe that the bread and wine offered at Mass are changed into the body and blood of Christ in a literal sense. In technical theological terms, this process is called transubstantiation.
Most non-Catholic Christians do not understand Holy Communion in these terms. Many Protestant denominations believe that the bread and wine used in their Communion services undergo no change at all, but remain simply bread and wine in every sense, so that Communion is merely a reminder of Jesus’ last supper.
Other denominations do have some concept of a Real Presence, but in a less full sense or in a less defined way than the Catholic teaching.
Ms. Cooper
As practicing Catholics know, the Church has many laws and customs designed to reverence and safeguard the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and in the reserved Blessed Sacrament. For instance, we genuflect before the tabernacle when we enter a Church, and we fast an hour before receiving Communion. And in the Latin (aka Roman”) Catholic Church, children are generally not admitted to Holy Communion until they are old enough to understand what and who it is that they are receiving. Reasoning along these lines, it is common sense that the Church would not want to administer Holy Communion to an individual even another baptized
Christian who was not aware or did not believe that they were receiving the actual, literal body and blood of Christ. This would not be respectful to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, even if such a person approached Holy Communion in a spirit of goodwill.
And on the other side of the coin, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is a fairly radical belief, and it would be unfair and ultimately un-pastoral to “force” this on someone who was not ready to accept it.
Looking more concretely at the Church s law on the subject, Canon 844, 1 plainly states that: “Catholic ministers [e.g. priests and deacons] may lawfully administer the sacraments only to Catholic members of Christ’s faithful.”
Yet this same canon does go on to carve out a few limited exceptions. Most relevant to your question, Canon 844, 4 tells us that Protestants may potentially receive Communion or the other sacraments if they are “in danger of death” or if the local bishops discern that there is some “grave and pressing need.”
Question Corner
Question Corner is a regular column by OSV News that answers some of the most common questions from people in the pews that arise concerning the Catholic faith.
But this is only “provided that they demonstrate the Catholic faith in respect of these sacraments. This sort of situation, where a Protestant actually believes fully in our Catholic teaching on the Eucharist and is also at the point of death or in some similarly extreme circumstance, is certainly not the scenario you would see in an average Sunday Mass. But if a Protestant did believe fully in the Real Presence and wished to receive Jesus in Holy Communion in their ordinary everyday life, logically it would seem that the best thing for them to do is to begin the process of entering fully into the Catholic Church.
QI recently read your answer to the question, “Is nonalcoholic church wine valid for consecration?” In your response you cited the canon law that discusses the “valid matter” for the celebration of the Eucharist.
This quickly brought to mind my wife s severe celiac disorder. My question is, is it absolutely essential to use wheat as a component for the celebration of the Eucharist? She has been told that there must be a component of wheat, and she has been offered a “low gluten host” in lieu of the regular host. We are a bit confused as to why a completely gluten-free host cannot be offered. Certainly Jesus would not have proposed something as important as this is, that would make his followers ill?
Christ the King A priest distributes Communion during Pope Francis’ Mass for the feast of Christ the King and the local celebration of World Youth Day in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Nov. 24.
More moms are Well-Read
By Claire Collins
Women of faith across East Tennessee are sharing in their love of reading and fellowship through Well-Read Mom, a national Catholic book club seeking to help women read good literature and ponder life’s most difficult and beautiful questions.
Founder Marcie Stokman loved reading and found she was a happier person and a better mother when she was reading and discussing good books. When her daughter complained about the lack of depth in the mom groups she had attended, Ms. Stokman seized the opportunity and founded a book club-turned movement, which now boasts over 1,000 groups and 10,000 members nationwide.
Many of these groups, as well as participating individual members, can be found throughout the Diocese of Knoxville.
Starting a group
“I started my group in 2016,” said Nina Gouge of Knoxville. “I had heard about Well-Read Mom online and wanted a book club that went deeper and read harder classics.”
Though her group waxed and waned initially, it has recently increased significantly with about 15 members per meeting.
Beth Barnette of Kingsport helped start her local Well-Read Mom through the initiation of a friend.
“My friend Amber Vachon discovered the national Well-Read Mom organization and asked if I’d be interested in helping her organize a group in our community,” Ms. Barnette said.
“I was hesitant at first to add another commitment to my plate, but I felt called to invest time in something that would provide intellectual stimulation and create a space to gather with like-minded women. We invited friends through our personal networks, the church bulletin, and social media. Initially, we started with five or six women, but our group has since grown to around 10 participants at times,” Ms. Barnette added.
Erika Evans of Greeneville initially started her Well-Read Mom journey in Knoxville.
“I saw Well-Read Mom on Instagram. And though I found it a wonderful idea, I had just had my first baby and didn't have the wherewithal to hunt down a group at that time, so I quietly read along as I could with the booklist,” Ms. Evans shared.
A sort of divine intervention then led to her joining a formal group.
“Then when I was pregnant with my third child, I was reading Strangers and Sojourners by Michael D. O’Brien at an OB/GYN appointment,” Ms. Evans recalled. “Due to my age and high blood pressure, they were checking ultrasounds more frequently, and I must have used
one of those ultrasound images as a bookmark. When I returned the book to the local library, I unknowingly left the ultrasound image serving as my bookmark in the text. A few days, later I was contacted via messenger on Facebook by a member of the Knoxville Well-Read Mom group. She asked if I was reading along with Well-Read Mom and invited me to join. WellRead Mom reads are meaty and demanding, and thus, she took a gamble that a new mother reading that particular book might well be part of this amazing organization. She was right.”
This invitation led Ms. Evans to then bring the joy of Well-Read Mom with her after a move.
“I've been so very grateful for her bravery in reaching out to me ever since. When we moved to Greeneville, I took the leap and decided to start a Well-Read Mom group of my own; first online thanks to COVID and now in person,” she said.
The Year of the Father
Every year, the team at Well-Read Mom picks a list of books, one per month, under a general theme for the year. The Year of the Father, which is 2024-25, has featured reads related to fathers and the role of fatherhood. The books follow fathers learning hard lessons through mistakes, good fathers who learn more about their identity through struggle and hardship, and the im-
portance and example of spiritual fathers.
“I think all of the members of my group want to be reading somewhat difficult and thoughtprovoking books to become better women, and Well-Read Mom definitely gets us doing that,” Ms. Gouge observed.
Julie Maeng of Chattanooga has found that participating in Well-Read Mom has enriched her particular season of life as a mom to young children.
“Well-Read Mom was a total gift from God to me in this phase of life. I have always been an avid reader, and so the idea of discussing good literature with fellow moms just for fun sounded too good to be true,” Mrs. Maeng said.
“I have loved the way it has deepened my friendships with the women in Well-Read Mom and also given me so much insight into the texts, those in my book club, myself, my marriage, and my kids. It’s so clear to me that our souls crave beauty, and finding it alongside others in a book has been so powerful,” she added. The books shared in Well-Read Mom can be challenging, but they promise to provoke discussion.
“Not every book will connect with every woman,” Ms. Evans said. “And some of the selections can be harder to connect to than others, but all demand focus, concentration, and invite Moms continued on page A20
Reading is FUNdamental The Chattanooga chapter of the Well-Read Mom book club gathers in the home of Claire Collins, who with her husband and three children are members of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. The faith-based book club has several chapters across the Diocese of Knoxville.
Saying yes, every day
More than 100 couples renew wedding vows during marriage Mass
By Maggie Parsons
More than 100 couples from across the Diocese of Knoxville gathered at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Feb. 23 to celebrate the sacrament of marriage and renew their wedding vows.
The joyous celebration, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment, reminded couples to say yes every day to the sacrament and say yes to what God has called them to do.
Bishop Mark Beckman, who celebrated the Mass, spoke during his homily about how couples must accept their spouse every day and not only on the days they choose to.
“It is learning how to accept the other just as they are today, not as I wish they were today. A good reminder about acceptance on the path,” Bishop Beckman said. He talked about how the faithful apply God’s Word to their lives, even when it is not a direct connection.
“We are given God’s Word, and somehow when, as we reflect on that Word, we are meant to apply it to our lives. Today is no different. In some ways it’s also what marriage is about, isn’t it?” the bishop asked.
Bishop Beckman, citing the day’s reading from 1 Samuel 26, reflected on “what a large heart God gave David; here Saul had been seeking David's life, and David had the opportunity to spear him with his own spear.”
“We all know that there are things that the people we love most can do to us that make us annoyed and irritated, and there are moments where we want to jab them in differ-
ent sorts of ways. But when we stop, we say no, I will not respond to acting that way. But I chose to love the other despite the limitations of the other,” he remarked. “Anything that
is easy to do is not worth it; it’s only when we have sustained commitment, love expressed over time, that makes such a beautiful difference in life.”
Following his homily, the bishop asked the couples present to stand and renew their wedding vows, a reminder of their wedding day and that start of their commitment to each other and the sacrament of matrimony. Standing face to face, the couples said “I do” as they renewed their vows, being reminded of how they vowed to stay with each other through the good and the bad.
“I think it is a real blessing to get to renew vows; it is a great advantage to be a part of this community, to be a part of a group that wants to be encouraged to renew their vows,” said Robert Kosky, the husband of Mary Sue, who both attended the event.
Carolyn Krings, administrative assistant in the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment who organized the event, spoke about the importance of marriage and all of the parts of a good, holy marriage. She remarked how couples make a commitment through each other in love, and how that reflects their love for God.
“Each couple who chose to reaffirm their commitment to each other mirrors the beauty of God’s personal love,” Mrs. Krings shared.
The vocation of marriage is not just about the wedding day when
Witness to Love reprised
With mentors and the Holy Spirit, marriage catechumenate model bears fruit
By Kimberley Heatherington OSV News
When Pope Francis approved the December 2023 appointment of Mary-Rose and Ryan Verret as consultors to the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life the Vatican office tasked with promoting the pastoral care of marriage and the family the Louisiana couple’s initial range of reactions to the announcement included astonishment.
But given the nationwide success of the Witness to Love marriage formation and renewal nonprofit ministry co-founded by the Verrets a dozen years ago and now found in 87 dioceses and 510 parishes, serving close to 7,200 couples and their mentors each year it’s really not a surprise.
And there are numbers to prove it.
Traditional marriage preparation programs, the Verrets told OSV News, have a divorce rate of 23 percent for Catholic couples at the five-year mark of marriage. It’s a statistic little different from that of the general population, which stands at 25 percent.
“If grace is effective and if grace is real,” said Mrs. Verret, “that’s not the statistic it’s going to have.”
The Witness to Love model is distinctly different from other and older models of marriage preparation.
Such programs do fill a need, the Verrets said, but they question their effectiveness as an option of first resort.
“You might go to a one-day conference. You might have a mentor couple assigned to you, if the parish hasn’t run through all the ones they have. And you might have a few meetings with Father or Deacon, if he has the time,” Mrs. Verret explained.
“But that’s not sufficient,” she continued, “and that’s why Pope Francis calls for the marriage catechumenate.”
Pope Francis oversaw the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life’s
" It's a little difficult at first because pastors are like, 'What do you mean they picked their own mentor couple?' The biggest thing here is to let the Holy Spirit guide and not to try to micromanage mentor couples. Even though it may seem like you don't have enough control, if you go with something like this a more evangelizing model I would say that God is always in control. So, get out of the way of the Holy Spirit and let the Lord work."
— Stacy Golden, Archdiocese of Baltimore
2022 release of “Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life: Pastoral Guidelines for Local Churches,” a pastoral outline for preparing engaged couples for the sacrament of matrimony through a marriage catechumenate.
In many ways, it resembles Witness to Love.
The Witness to Love approach challenges couples to engage with Church teaching and what being married means. It also involves close accompaniment by a practicing Catholic mentor couple of their own choosing who shares the couple’s journey to the altar and provides them a “lifeline” of support beyond the wedding day.
Mr. Verret unsparingly praises “these thousands of mentor couples who have opened up their homes to wandering, seeking, millennial couples who are trying to see: What does Christian marriage and a Catholic home actually look like?”
“The solution,” he said, “is really so simple. God did not wire us that you need to have a Ph.D. in theology for grace to be efficacious in your life. What it does hinge on is authentic friendship.”
The Witness to Love model of parish community integration yields impressive results: a 6 percent divorce rate for Witness to Love couples at the five-year mark, with a 70 percent increase in church attendance among Witness to Love newlyweds.
“The training we offer is for the parish leadership,” Mrs. Verret said. “How to walk with couples; how to form couples; how to in-
tegrate them into the church community; how to connect them to other couples; how to introduce them to Jesus.”
But that’s not all.
“And,” she continued, “it’s train-
ing in evangelization, theology, psychology, parish best practices, technology. How do we use all the amazing resources and insights that we have at our fingertips, to serve the sacrament of marriage in a way that will bring couples to Jesus?”
That discipleship component, Mr. Verret said, is essential.
“When the apostolic activity of the Church connects with those who need to hear it, if it’s not an authentic model for discipleship, then what is it?” he asked. “I think that’s what Witness to Love and the marriage catechumenate is about: Where is the experience of discipleship, so you are actually
I do, all over again Above: A couple renew their wedding vows during the Mass for the sacrament of marriage on Feb. 23 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Below: More than 100 couples took part in the Mass, led by Bishop Mark Beckman, to celebrate the sacrament of matrimony.
MAGGIE PARSONS (2)
Marriage continued on page A10
Witness continued on page A16
Celebrating 75 Years!
Join us as we commemorate the Year of Jubilee, the 25th anniversary of the Our Lady of Fatima church building, and the 75th anniversary of the Our Lady of Fatima parish.
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, March 11
Special Bilingual Mass at 6 PM celebrating the 25th anniversary of our church building, followed by a light reception.
Tuesday, May 13
Pilgrimage and Pentecost
Wednesday, August 13
Pilgrimage and Pedagogy
Saturday, September 13
Pilgrimage and Prosperidad
Monday, October 13
Pilgrimage and Prayers
Saturday, November 22
Friday, June 13
Pilgrimage and Picnic
Sunday, July 13
Pilgrimage and Praise
75th Anniversary Mass at Our Lady of Fatima and Reception after at the Airport Hilton.
Come celebrate with us as we give thanks for the past and look forward with hope to the future!
Catholic Day on the Hill
Tennessee bishops, students attend annual faith-based event at state Capitol
By Katie Peterson Tennessee Register
The values of the Catholic Church were topics of discussion with several state legislators during Catholic Day on the Hill at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville on Feb. 26.
The three bishops of Tennessee Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis, and Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville as well as diocesan leaders throughout the state, Catholic Charities leaders, and Catholic school students from Father Ryan High School in Nashville and Pope St. John Paul II Preparatory School in Hendersonville met with representatives of the House and Senate during Catholic Day on the Hill activities.
This included meetings with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, Rep. Gino Bulso, Sen. Jack Johnson, Rep. William Lamberth, and many more.
Two issues were at the forefront of the various meetings: the recent passing and future implementation of the Education Freedom Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Lee on Feb. 12, and the immigration reform bill, which Gov. Lee also signed on Feb. 12.
Education Freedom Act
The Education Freedom Act will make Education Freedom Scholarships available to fund privateschool tuition and other related education expenses statewide in the 2025-26 school year, regardless of family income.
As a result of the new law, more Tennessee families will have an opportunity to choose a Catholic education for their children at one of the more than 40 Catholic schools across the state.
“We believe we change the whole
continued from page A1
beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 5, and continues through Easter Sunday, April 20. Brendan Menuey, leadership consultant with the Catholic Leadership Institute, explained that each parish in the diocese will have a specific survey unique to it for its members to take. Links to the online parish surveys will be provided on each parish’s website, in church bulletins, and in parishioners’ e-mail, according to Mr. Menuey.
Once the survey period concludes on Easter Sunday, the Disciple Maker Index results will be compiled and returned to the diocese by summer.
The results will then be shared by pastors with all parishioners within each parish. Bishop Beckman will share results of the surveys in total to give a diocesan-wide perspective.
The bishop said he is looking forward to receiving the responses from parishioners throughout East Tennessee.
I think it is so important to hear from the people of God, and the Disciple Maker Index provides a key way for us to hear from all the faithful,” Bishop Beckman said.
Mr. Menuey stressed that each survey is confidential, and no one’s name will be disclosed.
The Catholic Leadership Institute is based in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and has been serving dioceses and parishes for more than 30 years.
Our mission is to help priests and bishops and deacons and lay leaders with leadership formation and training in the Church,” Mr. Menuey said.
The institute reached out to Bishop Beckman as the new shepherd of East Tennessee’s diocese. The institute provides support to new bishops across the country. The institute’s services are free of charge because they are funded by donors.
“There is no cost to the diocese or Bishop Mark. Part of that support is to help him figure out a few things. One, the perspective of the parish-
of the Diocese of Nashville on Feb. 26 in Sen. McNally's office at the state capitol in Nashville. The bishops were taking part in the annual Catholic Day on the Hill. Sen. McNally is a member of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. Also seated is Rick Musacchio, left, executive director of the Tennessee Catholic Conference.
" One of the things that has very much impressed me is how open our government leaders are to listening and to allowing the concerns that we’re bringing to the table to be heard, so I’m very grateful for that. ... We as Catholics, because of many centuries of reflection on the wisdom of how to structure human society with our social teaching, bring to the table good, solid principles that can also help form decisions that are made by the government."
family for the better,” said Bishop Spalding of the work being done in Catholic schools, when thanking legislators for passing the bill.
“My hope is that those who have really been supportive of the voucher program for education will feel our sense of support and gratitude for the work that they did,” added Bishop Beckman. Bishop Talley noted his gratitude
ioners via the survey, which is a signature tool that we have been using for over 10 years to gauge people’s perception of their engagement with their parish, the frequency of their behavior regarding worship, and participation at church,” Mr. Menuey said.
“It also talks about their beliefs about core Catholic teaching. And it asks demographic questions such as their age, their gender, how long have they been at the parish, were they born and raised Catholic or were they converted at some point, do they have school-age children,” he added. “It gives a snapshot to each pastor. He will get a report about his parishioners of the people who fill out the survey. The bishop will get a report about each parish and the diocese as a whole. It’s a nice snapshot of the Diocese of Knoxville.”
The Disciple Maker Index is the first phase of a strategic plan the institute is developing for the Diocese of Knoxville.
As part of that overview, diocesan priests will have an opportunity to fill out their own survey that will be unique to their own vocation and ministry, “their preferences and passions,” according to Mr. Menuey.
Priests will also have the opportunity to take a survey about the Chancery and its functions. And Chancery employees also will be surveyed.
Once the surveys and subsequent reports are submitted, diocesan leaders, in partnership with the Catholic Leadership Institute, will begin a strategic-planning phase, looking at mission, vision, and values as well as assessing priorities and goals.
Mr. Menuey said the survey results will inform the strategic-planning process, which will begin with earlyphase meetings in late spring or early summer.
“The Disciple Maker Index is central to this process. Your bishop wants to hear from you. He wants to get a sense of your perspective. This is your time to voice your thoughts,” Mr. Menuey said. ■
ment,” Bishop Talley said. “That’s so, so important.”
Immigration
While the Church supports the nation’s right and duty to control its borders, the Church also wants to ensure that policies put in place respect human dignity and provide a clear, humane pathway to legal status and citizenship for those who have built their life in the United States.
Additionally, while these policies are solidified, the hope is that ministries, such as Catholic Charities, which focuses on resettling those who are legally in the United States, will not be penalized. Catholic Charities only serves refugees who are vetted and approved by the federal government before entering the country and are in the United States legally.
“We don’t want to criminalize the corporal works of mercy,” Bishop Spalding said. “We must always keep in mind human dignity, the goodness of each and every person, and we start from that basic principle before we make any policy, any guideline, any law.”
“My hope is that we are able to approach this issue in a very humane and just way that will have a positive impact on those involved,” Bishop Beckman added.
in having so many Catholic students present during the day, including students from the Diocese of Memphis’ Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, St. Francis of Assisi School, and St. Benedict School.
“It is so important that the students at our schools are coming up here and seeing the Capitol and how we govern ourselves through citizen participation in govern-
“The Catholic Church has a long tradition of being engaged through the social Gospel of caring for those in need, especially the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death,” Bishop Talley said. “That is rooted in our call to see each other as children of God.”
Reflections Catholic Day on the Hill was led by the Tennessee Catholic Conference and organized by Rick Musac-
On this pilgrimage to the Shrines of Italy, it encompasses some of the holiest Catholic sites that Italy has to offer! In Rome, step into the four Major Basilicas, see the Square from St. Peter’s Basilica, and attend a Papal Audience with his successor, Pope Francis. In San Giovanni Rotondo, visit sites from the life of St. Padre Pio. Enjoy touring the beautiful hometown of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Close out your pilgrimage visiting Pompeii and Naples.
Faith in the public square Lt. Gov. Randy McNally speaks with the three bishops of Tennessee: Bishop David P. Talley of the Diocese of Memphis, second from left, Bishop Mark Beckman of the Diocese of Knoxville, center, and Bishop J. Mark Spalding
Bishop Mark Beckman
Capitol continued on page A13
Survey
Protecting life at every stage
End-of-life seminar explains Church teaching, decisions faced as death nears
By Bill Brewer
As the United States continues confronting the abortion issue, and prayerfully comes up with a pro-life solution, another right-to-life issue on the minds of many Catholics is the end of life— and questions surrounding decisions when confronting death.
Such decisions will impact nearly everyone at some point in their lives, whether regarding their own life or the life of a loved one.
According to recent data, including from the Pew Research Center and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement:
n Only around 22 percent of Americans have documented their end-oflife wishes.
n While most people have considered their end-of-life care preferences, only a small percentage have formally documented them through an advance directive or living will.
n A majority of Americans (around 70 percent) would prefer to die at home if given the choice.
n Although many people understand the importance of end-of-life planning, there is a gap between thinking about their wishes and actually putting them in writing.
n Around 60 percent of adults have discussed their end-of-life wishes with someone, including a healthcare professional.
n Despite the preference for death at home, a significant percentage of people still die in hospitals.
n Individuals aged 65 and older are more likely to have considered and documented their end-of-life care preferences.
n 90 percent of people say that talking with their loved ones about endof-life care is important.
n 27 percent have actually done so.
n 60 percent of people say that making sure their family is not burdened by tough decisions is ex-
tremely important.
n 56 percent have not communicated their end-of-life wishes.
n 80 percent of people say that if seriously ill, they would want to talk to their doctor about wishes for medical treatment toward the end of their life.
n Only 7 percent report having had this conversation with their doctor.
n 52 percent say they would ask their doctors to stop treatment if they had an incurable disease and were totally dependent on someone else for their care.
n 35 percent say they would tell their doctors to do everything possible to keep them alive—even in dire circumstances, such as having a disease with no hope of improvement and experiencing a great deal of pain.
Understanding that the need for answers to end-of-life questions is top of mind for many Catholics, Tennessee Right to Life recently partnered with Paul Simoneau of the Diocese of Knoxville to offer a seminar on the topic.
In introducing Mr. Simoneau,
More states, including Tennessee, are acting on euthanasia legislation
Suicide survivors testify for life and against Illinois assisted suicide bills
By Simone Orendain OSV News
The introduction of physicianassisted suicide bills in both houses of the Illinois Legislature during this legislative session has opponents lending their voices and life examples to the cause against hastening death as a way to avoid suffering This is the second straight year Illinois lawmakers are pushing the bill called the “End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act.” They scheduled the first public hearings on the bills in February
The proposed legislation submitted in the Illinois Senate and House call for two doctors to ascertain that a patient has six months or less to live and to evaluate the patient’s mental faculties and ability to self-administer lethal doses of drugs. The legislation states that on the death certificate the cause of death would be the original diagnosis of the patient, not suicide, among other requirements.
The first version was introduced in February 2024 by state Sen. Linda Holmes, a Democrat from Chicago’s western suburbs. She told OSV News the issue was her passion, because she and her family saw her father suffer the ravages of terminal lung cancer, which was “a horrendous way to watch somebody die.” And in Tennessee, two state lawmakers have sponsored legislation that would legalize assisted suicide and, according to Tennessee Right to Life, put vulnerable Tennesseans at risk
“In the 11 other states where similar legislation has been passed, it has
led to devastating outcomes, including mistakes, coercion, and abuse of patients with disabilities and those who may be experiencing a nonfatal condition,” Tennessee Right to Life said in a March 3 statement.
“Assisted suicide is not health care. Tennessee Right to Life and pro-life Tennesseans cannot allow Tennessee law to abandon our vulnerable citizens. To build a true culture of life in our state, we must continue to protect life in all its ages, stages, and conditions,” the TRL statement continued
Several people joined the Illinois Conference of Catholic Bishops and Illinois Right to Life Action in opposing assisted suicide legalization, pointing to the value of life and the beauty in accompaniment
Among them is Cori Salchert, a Sheboygan, Wis., mother of eight adult children and two adopted seriously ill young children. Ms. Salchert said she was well-acquainted with suffering through a serious, incapacitating illness and wanting to give up on life.
A Christian author and former obstetric hospice nurse, Mrs. Salchert, 59, said she had been suffering the effects of undiagnosed Lyme disease for decades when she hit a very low point in 2010
“It was getting exhausting on every front; chronic pain is really mentally and emotionally debilitating,” Mrs. Salchert said. “And when you have enough people saying, ‘I can’t help you’ … It is like, ‘OK, I’m done with this. If this is the way it’s going to be, I cannot live with it and I’m through.’ I was definitely there. And I had tried,
Angel Brewer, executive director of the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life, told the audience of some 70 Catholics from around the diocese that the topic has always been important to people of faith; however, as the health-care industry places greater emphasis on advance directives such as patients’ living wills, medical powers of attorney, and do-not-resuscitate orders, more people need to be armed with information to handle these life-impacting decisions.
Another issue that is challenging Church teaching is euthanasia, which more countries are approving as a form of medical care.
“At Tennessee Right to Life, our goal is to protect the sanctity of life in all of its ages, stages, and conditions, from conception to natural death. We get a lot of airtime for our stand on abortion, but we also protect life at the end of life,” Mrs. Brewer said.
Understanding the mystery of suffering Mr. Simoneau, vice chancellor of
the diocese who also serves as the director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace, began the Feb. 11 seminar at the Chancery by exploring the mystery of human suffering. He explained that Catholics must first understand the impact suffering has on the love of Christ and how Christ suffered intensely to show His love for the faithful.
“Today is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. And it also is the day that Pope John Paul II decided to mark World Day of the Sick on an annual basis. You gathering today is very significant in that sense, that this is, on the Church’s official calendar, the World Day of the Sick,” Mr. Simoneau observed. “We know, with Our Lady of Lourdes and the apparitions in Lourdes, France, that hundreds of medically certified miracles have occurred there. And we know that health of spirit is essential to health of body.”
Included in the information Mr. Simoneau shared with those in attendance were a Catholic-approved advance directive or living will that is backed by the National Catholic Bioethics Center; a form for the appointment of a medical proxy, or general power of attorney; and a physician order for life-sustaining treatment (POLST).
“You can tell the health of a nation by the way it treats its weakest and most vulnerable, and also by the way it treats the dead, with a proper Christian burial. That is so very important. But we see so little of that these days,” he said. Mr. Simoneau reflected on beautiful ancient expressions that speak of the sacred truth of the individual—a composite of body and soul. Then he explained that the Hippocratic Oath, which physicians pledge, has changed, with the vow to do no harm to patients stricken from the oath by many medical schools. End of life continued on page A21
The sanctity of life at all stages Paul Simoneau, vice chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville and director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace, leads an end-of-life seminar on Feb. 11 at the Chancery.
Pilgrims of Hope
Charitable grants are now available to Diocese of Knoxville parish es
By Allison DiGennaro
The Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund exists to support and accelerate charitable outreach at the parish level in the Diocese of Knoxville.
The fund provides matching grants to parishes to foster local, parish-based charitable works.
The Pope Francis Charitable Trust Fund supports parish-based charitable ministry in action. Key focus areas include feeding the hungry; supporting secure housing; helping children; and assistance with utilities, transportation, and minor health-care costs.
Reaching out to those who are in need is a vital part of the Catholic faith. This matching-grant program helps to foster corporal works of mercy throughout the Diocese of Knoxville to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, offer shelter to those in need, and so much more.
More than $600,000 has been awarded to parishes since the fund
began providing grants in 2019. Parish applications are made available each February. Grant awards are announced annually in July. In past years, parishes have
been asked to provide a matching amount of support.
This year is a Jubilee Year, the 2025th anniversary of the Incarnation of our Lord. Pope Francis has
designated the 2025 Jubilee Year as a time to renew ourselves as “Pilgrims of Hope.”
In recognition of this holy year, Bishop Mark Beckman has offered a beautiful gift to parishes in removing the requirement for parishes to offer a match for the 2025 grant year. This is a one-time gift for the Jubilee Year. Note that all other requirements are still in effect, including the completion of parish grant summary reports.
Bishop Beckman reminds us of the quote from Pope Francis, “Practicing charity is the best way to evangelize.” With the Jubilee Year’s theme of “Pilgrims of Hope,” the bishop is hopeful that many parishes will apply for charitable funds and use this year to reach out to those who are most in need of hope.
Parishes within the Diocese of Knoxville who are interested in applying for funds this year may visit dioknox.org/charity to learn more. Applications are due March 31. ■
Catholic relief agencies dealing with aid crisis
Supreme Court rejects Trump administration appeal to freeze foreign assistance
By Kate Scanlon OSV News and Tyler Arnold Catholic News Agency
The Supreme Court on March 5 rejected the Trump administration’s request to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid payments, directing the White House to abide by a lower court order. Catholic nongovernmental organizations are among those impacted by the freeze.
Writing for a divided 5-4 majority, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Trump administration must comply with the lower court’s order. However, the lower courts should also “clarify what obligations the government must fulfill to ensure compliance” with its directive.
Previously, U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali in Washington, D.C., ordered the government to resume more than $1.5 billion in foreign aid payments for already completed aid work that have been suspended for several weeks in response to a challenge from some aid organizations.
President Donald Trump’s administration was appealing the federal court decision that ordered the government to resume foreign aid grants by the end of Feb. 26 as many Catholic groups that receive those grants have been without funds.
The U.S. Attorney General’s office filed an appeal late on Feb. 25 after Judge Ali ordered the administration to supply those funds by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 26.
The same judge, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, had ordered the government to resume its foreign aid funding on Feb. 13. However, the Trump administration has not complied with that order.
Numerous Catholic organizations have lost grant money due to the foreign aid funding freeze, including Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Relief Services.
Judge Ali ruled in his decision that President Trump’s blanket freeze on foreign aid funding likely violates the Administrative Procedure Act and violates the separation of powers because Congress approved the money to be used in foreign aid programs.
In its appeal, the administration asserts that the judge’s order forces the government to “pay arbitrarily determined expenses on a timeline of the district court’s choosing” and claimed the court “creates a payment plan” that is contrary to the president’s obligations under Article II of the Constitution and the principles of “federal sovereign immunity.”
The court filing also argues that
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) leadership has determined that the court’s order to resume funding “cannot be accomplished in the time allotted by the [court].”
“The district court has ordered the federal government to pay nearly $2 billion in taxpayer dollars within 36 hours, without regard to payment-integrity systems that would ensure that the monies claimed are properly owed, without regard to the federal government’s meritorious arguments to the contrary, and without so much as addressing the government’s sovereign-immunity defense,” the court filing states.
Additionally, the administration claims in its appeal that the judge’s order will cause “grave and irreparable harm to the government” because it “has no practical mechanism to recover wrongfully disbursed funds that go out the door to entities that have complained that they are near insolvency.”
On his first day in office on Jan. 20, President Trump issued an executive order to pause all foreign aid grants for 90 days. He argued in the order that the funding was not aligned with the interests of the United States and worked to “destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries.”
Foreign aid programs include humanitarian assistance provided by faith-based organizations like Catholic Relief Services and Jesuit Relief Services, which offer food, shelter, health care, and other services to people in foreign countries.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said the State Department would exempt certain programs from the foreign aid funding freeze.
A representative from JRS said those who report to President Trump and Mr. Rubio must “follow their directives” and court orders “to
resume funding these initiatives obligated by our federal government and already paid for by American taxpayers.”
“If they do, we and other Catholic organizations should shortly be able to resume providing food assistance, shelter, and medical care in parts of the world like Ethiopia and Iraq, where there have been lengthy and devastating displacement crises,” the spokesperson said.
In late January, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asked Catholics to reach out to their members of Congress and request the resump-
tion of foreign aid programs.
The USCCB and Catholic Relief Services, the USCCB’s international charitable arm, released an action alert on Jan. 30 urging Catholics to contact their elected officials.
“Your help is urgently needed! Let your members of Congress know that you are deeply concerned about the administration’s recent decision to stop work on almost all U.S. foreign assistance programs,” the alert read.
“This freeze will be detrimental to millions of our sisters and brothers who need access to life-saving humanitarian, health, and development assistance,” it continued.
“The administration has begun to issue immediate stop-work orders on almost all foreign aid as they review State Department and USAID programs between now and April 20,” the USCCB-CRS alert read.
“New administrations usually review ongoing programs against their policy goals. However, ceasing almost all life-saving humanitarian and development assistance during that time will have real impacts for human life and dignity and on U.S. national interests.”
“As people of faith, let us stand shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and brothers in need,” the alert continued. ■
Community ministry Father Dennis Kress, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Norris, second from right, and members of St. Joseph partner with the Norris Area Food Pantry to provide food provisions for those in need.
Funding relief Workers carry food into a Catholic Relief Services warehouse near Mekele in Ethiopia's Tigray region in February 2021.
Bishop Beckman celebrates the Presentation with St. John XXIII students ‘A deeper spirit of love ’
By Gabrielle Nolan
The community at St. John XXIII Catholic Center came out in full force for a recent visit from Bishop Mark Beckman for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2.
Both students and older parishioners filled the Paulus Room on Knoxville’s University of Tennessee campus for a 5:30 p.m. Mass, which was celebrated by the bishop and concelebrated by Paulist pastor Father Larry Rice.
The bishop commented that he felt like he had “gone back in time” to when he was at St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa.
“There’s something wonderful about a community of young people who gather to celebrate the mystery of the Eucharist,” he said.
The feast of the Presentation of the Lord is also known as Candlemas, and in the Catholic Church candles for churches and homes are usually blessed on this day. Bishop Beckman blessed a variety of candles that were laid in front of the altar at St. John XXIII.
“Tonight, we celebrate a very special feast, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, that moment 40 days after His birth when Mary and Joseph take the child Jesus to the temple to present Him to the
couples start a life together. It is first a commitment to each other when they vow to each other on their wedding day and make that choice to love each other every day.
Brittany Garcia and her husband, Pedro, parishioners at the cathedral, attended the Mass and discussed how they had to make a choice when they were preparing to get married about which cathedral building their wedding would be in, because the new cathedral was under construction at the time, and the original cathedral building had not yet been converted to a parish hall.
“For us, the sacrament of marriage was more important and to start a life together,” the Garcias said.
In the midst of married life, couples must also remember how to keep God at the center of their marriage.
“We have five children, and we wanted to pass on our faith to them,” Mrs. Kosky said. “When we are open and honest to them that God is the center of our marriage, the center of our relationship, we’re helping to pass that on to our children. That whatever your vocation, it is having God in the center that brings you joy.”
The couples who attended talked
Father,” the bishop remarked.
At the beginning of his homily, Bishop Beckman said the temple of the Lord was “probably one of the most sacred places in human history.”
“In the Old Testament, there were times when the glory of God would fill the temple, so for the people of Israel, a place close to the heart of God,” he observed. “And today in that sacred place we see two people, Simeon and Anna, well advanced in years. They’ve been
waiting for the Lord for a long time in their life.”
Bishop Beckman shared that as a young boy, his sacred place was his home parish of Sacred Heart in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. He said that the smell of incense and burning candles inside the church “always reminded me that God was close.”
“One of the things that I’ll never forget is those older folks, who looked like they had been in that church forever when I was a little boy, quietly praying while I
about their reasoning for participating in the reaffirmation of vows Mass.
“It is important to remember the sacrament and what we are doing, and renew our vows often,” Mrs. Garcia said.
Before the final blessing at the end of Mass, Bishop Beckman asked the congregation to be seated. He then invited all the couples to stand according to the number of years they had been married. First, the bishop
Pew: U.S. Christianity downturn leveling; Catholic Church suffers greatest net losses
Amultiyear decline in Christianity in the United States may have leveled off, according to a new survey by Pew Research Center.
The Catholic Church, the survey found, is seeing the greatest net losses of believers compared with other religions in the United States.
The data indicates that for every one person received into the Catholic Church, another 8.4 individuals have left the faith, either altogether or for another worship tradition. This increases the trend Pew found in 2014, when 6.5 Catholics left the faith for every person who entered.
Pew’s new survey also shows just 29 percent of the nation’s Catholics attend religious services weekly or more often. Altogether four in 10 Catholics attend religious services monthly or more.
In addition, support among U.S. Catholics for legalized abortion, homosexuality, and other stances at odds with Church teaching has increased over the past decade and a half.
On Feb. 26, Pew Research released the results of its 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study. The
RLS polled 36,908 U.S. adults on a range of topics regarding religious belief and practice, as well as issues such as abortion, homosexuality, immigration, and the role of government.
The survey was conducted in English and Spanish from July 2023 to March 2024, with participants sharing their thoughts online, via mail, or by phone.
Researchers noted that a multiyear decline in the number of U.S. adults identifying as Christian noted in Pew’s 2007 and 2014 RLS reports has appeared to stabilize “at least temporarily” since 2019. The rise in those who are religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” also has leveled off for now after “rising rapidly for decades,” Pew noted.
However, the new survey “cannot answer definitively” whether that short-term stability will be “permanent,” cautioned Gregory A. Smith, senior associate director of research at Pew.
While he and his team “cannot predict the future,” Mr. Smith told OSV News the data “very clearly” Pew continued on page A19
" I want to challenge you tonight as we pray on this feast day of the Presentation to ask the Lord to give you the gift of recognizing more and more in every person that you meet the mysterious presence of God and to give you the grace to respond with a deeper love "
Bishop Mark Beckman
arrived,” the bishop commented. “Some of them were widows, or women who had never married. And I remember how they would sit quietly or kneel quietly for Mass, with their eyes ahead looking at the tabernacle, some of them with rosary beads in their hands quietly praying. There are faces and eyes of some of those people that I will never forget. I remember how they would look at me as a little boy with such love, that I realized that whatever they were doing there in prayer also had an effect on the way they saw me as a child.”
Bishop Beckman then shared a story of his first time visiting Jerusalem, where he was able to visit the temple area.
“I got the chance to go to the temple area, what’s left of it, the
Presentation continued on page A12
a constant work,” the bishop commented. “Those who have matured in married life are those who know the ups and the downs, the good times and the bad, the bright and the beautiful, and the difficult and the challenging.”
On the day the two became one in marriage and vowed to be with each other throughout life was a choice that day, but also a choice for every day.
Bishop Beckman said, “Someone asked me one day when you decided to become a priest, and I looked at the person and I said when I woke up this morning.”
asked if there were any engaged couples. He then proceeded to recognize couples based on their years of marriage. As couples would stand, and then as they sat down, the congregation was a witness to their love that they vowed to each other through the years. The last couple standing at Mass had been married for 64 years.
“I have been privileged to meet couples and see that what looks easy on the outside is not easy, it is
The marriage celebration was a reminder to the couples in attendance that on their wedding day they did not leave their wedding vows on the altar.
The vocation of marriage is an example of God’s love. In the Gospel of Matthew, a verse says, “What God has joined together, let no man separate.” When God joins two people together, they are an example of His love through each other, and how their vocation to each other, and to God, when they vowed it on their wedding day is a testimony to bring out to the world. ■
Breaking bread with students Bishop Mark Beckman met with University of Tennessee-Knoxville students at St. John XXIII Catholic Center on Feb. 2.
GABRIELLE
Celebrating the vocation of marriage Bishop Mark Beckman gives the homily during a marriage Mass on Feb. 23 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where more than 100 couples renewed their wedding vows and celebrated the sacrament of matrimony.
MAGGIE PARSONS
Marriage continued from page A5
CRS leader cites rising hunger, aid loss as initiative marks 50th anniversary Rice Bowl needed ‘now more than ever ’
By Gina Christian OSV News
With global hunger rising, an annual Lenten initiative by the U.S. Catholic bishops has “never been more needed,” Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president for mission and mobilization at Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services, told OSV News.
CRS, the official international relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community, is marking the 50th anniversary of its Rice Bowl program, which has raised more than $350 million to support domestic and overseas poverty relief efforts.
With its iconic cardboard donation box, Rice Bowl combines the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to provide humanitarian aid, spiritual renewal, and increased solidarity with those in need.
The funds—25 percent of which help local
diocesan outreaches, with 75 percent benefiting CRS programs abroad—support a mission that is “critical to millions,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, who
is the CRS board chair, in a March 5 statement from the organization.
In the same statement, CRS president and CEO Sean Callahan described Rice Bowl as “a pillar of our work,” which has “given hope to millions of our sisters and brothers experiencing hunger.”
Mr. Callahan described the global increase in hunger as “devastating,” with families having “to wait for hours in line for just one sack of rice or one container of water that might only last them the night.”
“CRS Rice Bowl donations enable us to help during these emergency moments, as well as set up long-term help and development,” he said.
In 2023, some 733 million people worldwide faced hunger, according to the United Nations’ 2024 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. Hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition have devastating physical and psychosocial consequences, including insufficient CRS continued on page A25
Marking 50 years A student is pictured in a file photo participating in the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl program.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/PHILIP LAUBNER,CRS
Pope Francis hospitalized for lung ailment
Pope Francis continues to rest, pray, follow his doctors’ prescribed therapies, and work a bit throughout the day, the Vatican press offi ce said on March 7.
The pontiff’s overall clinical condition continues to be “stable” and “complex,” and his prognosis remains “guarded,” which means the pope is still not out of danger, the press offi ce said.
On his then-22nd day at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the 88-year-old pope spent 20 minutes praying in the chapel that is part of the suite of rooms reserved for the popes on the 10th fl oor of the hospital. His prescribed therapies include breathing exercises and physical therapy to prevent problems associated with limited movement during a prolonged hospital stay.
Pope Francis suffered “two episodes of acute respiratory insuffi ciency” on March 3 but remained alert, the Vatican said, giving cause for concern after two days in which his condition was described as “stable.”
The episodes of respiratory distress were “caused by signifi cant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and subsequent bronchospasm,” the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin on March 3.
A “respiratory insuffi ciency” occurs when the lungs are unable to effectively take in suffi cient oxygen or expel enough carbon dioxide to meet the body’s needs.
The pope was diagnosed on Feb. 18 with pneumonia in both of his lungs, which can contribute to the formation of endobronchial mucus the accumulation of mucus in the bronchial tubes, a part of the lungs leading to the airways. Attempting to expel the mucus can lead to a respiratory crisis.
Pope Francis underwent two bronchoscopies on March 3, the Vatican said, “with the need for aspiration of abundant secretions,” or the removal of excessive mucus or other fl uids from the airways during the procedure.
“The Holy Father remained alert, oriented, and cooperative at all times,” the bulletin said.
It added that the pope resumed receiving non-invasive mechanical ventilation a treatment that delivers air with added oxygen through a tightly fi tted face mask using positive pressure to assist breathing. The pope had previously ceased the need for mechani-
Presentation continued from page A10
Western Wall. The stones are immense at the base of the old temple. It was destroyed by the Romans almost 2,000 years ago, less than that. The Romans had invaded the Holy Land about 64 years before Jesus was born, so both Anna and Simeon probably remembered the Romans arriving. So, they were waiting for God there,” he said.
The bishop commented that while he was praying at the Western Wall, he noticed an older man and a younger man both touching the wall and weeping.
“I knew that they were weeping because it was a place that was sacred to them,” he said. “They, like Anna and Simeon, were waiting for the Lord. But something extraordinary happened the day that Simeon and Anna went to the temple that 40th day after the birth of Jesus. And the extraordinary thing was they encountered God, now in human flesh, in a baby, vulnerable just like all of us were when we were born. A tiny baby, God choosing to become human. And since that moment of the incarnation, God is somehow mysteriously connected to each one of us, and encountering the sacred mystery of God is no longer in the temple but now in
Prayers for the pope Above: People join Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the recitation of the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Feb. 28. Pope Francis has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 for double pneumonia. Below: A woman and a young girl pray at the base of a statue of St. John Paul II outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital on March 2. The statue has become a place of prayer and tribute for Pope Francis.
cal ventilation and was receiving only high-fl ow oxygen therapy on March 2, the Vatican had said.
The pope’s doctors maintained that his prognosis “remains guarded.”
Addressing concerns that the pope could develop an infection after inhaling some of his own vomit following another respiratory crisis on Feb. 28, a Vatican source said blood tests had continued to show no sign of another developing infection. Previous bulletins said Pope Francis did not show an elevated white blood cell count a typical bodily response to infection and did not have a fever.
The respiratory crises suffered on March 3 were instead provoked by his already existing infection, the source said.
Despite Pope Francis’ hospitalization, the Vatican continues to operate. Cardinal Pietro Parolin,
each other, in the face of every human we meet in the street. … So, meeting God is meeting each other in a deeper spirit of love.”
Bishop Beckman explained that he understood that the women in his home parish who waited for God also “looked at me with such great love.”
The bishop then issued a challenge to all those in attendance at the Mass.
“I want to challenge you tonight as we pray on this feast day of the Presentation, to ask the Lord to give you the gift of recognizing more and more in every person that you meet the mysterious presence of God, and to give you the grace to respond with a deeper love,” he said. “Some people it’s easy to love because they love us, right? But there are other people who are more challenging to love, people who are not like us, people who are different strangers, newcomers, people of other faith backgrounds, right? And the Lord is saying to us love them because I am in them in a mysterious way.”
Following the Mass, the bishop greeted students and attended his first Sunday Supper, a St. John XXIII parish tradition that occurs on Sundays during the school year. ■
"I feel in my heart the 'blessing' that is hidden within frailty, because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord; at the same time, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share in body and spirit the condition of so many sick and suffering people."
— Pope Francis
Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican foreign minister, met at the Vatican with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and discussed prospects for peace in Ukraine.
United States-born Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was scheduled to lead the nightly recitation of the rosary for the pope on March 3.”
On the morning of March 2, the Vatican said the 88-year-old pontiff participated in a Mass “together with those who are caring for him during these days of hospitalization, then alternated rest with prayer.”
As he continues to receive treatment in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, Pope Francis sent written thanks for people’s prayers, but he did not go to his hospital window as some people had hoped.
Young people and members of the House of Mary, both groups associated with the Pontifi cal Academy of the Immaculate Conception, led the recitation of the Angelus prayer March 2 around a statue of St. John Paul II below the
pope's hospital window.
A couple dozen other people and many photographers and TV correspondents joined them.
The Vatican press offi ce released a message from Pope Francis with a brief refl ection on the day’s Gospel reading, but also with a refl ection on being hospitalized since Feb. 14 with breathing diffi culty and a diagnosis of double pneumonia. In his message, the pope thanked his doctors and all the medical professionals assisting him.
But he also told people, “I feel in my heart the ‘blessing’ that is hidden within frailty, because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord; at the same time, I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share in body and spirit the condition of so many sick and suffering people.”
Pope Francis expressed his gratitude “for the prayers, which rise up to the Lord from the hearts of so many faithful from many parts of the world: I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am ‘carried’ and supported by all God’s people.”
The pope assured people he was praying for them, too, and said, “I pray above all for peace. From here, war appears even more absurd. Let us pray for tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan, and Kivu” in eastern Congo.
Giuseppe Perazzo was one of the fi rst to arrive outside the Gemelli hospital for a midday prayer on March 2. At the time, hospital security staff were rearranging the fl owers, votive candles, and cards people have been leaving for the pope at the foot of the statue.
Mr. Perazzo held a big sign encouraging Pope Francis to listen to and obey his doctors.
“He’s not just the pope,” Mr. Perazzo said, “he is also a man like us. He is one of us, so when he is released, I will feel better, too.”
A couple from India working in Rome, who identifi ed themselves only as Alice and Tommy, said, “Today we have the day off, so we came to pray for the pope. He is a great person.”
Miguel Nascimento, an older gentleman wearing a large cross around his neck, stood tall as he recited the rosary for Pope Francis.
“I am here because I am a believer,” he said. “I used to be an altar server when I was a boy in Cape Verde.”
Mary Catherine Willard, ‘ godmother of diocese,’ dies
Catholic Day on the Hill foundress, diocesan lay leader received papal award
By Bill Brewer
There was a somber undertone to Catholic Day on the Hill on Feb. 26 as the annual legislative event that brings together Tennessee’s Catholic faithful to meet lawmakers and the governor in Nashville was without its foundress.
Mary Catherine Hughes Willard, who was a longtime lay leader in the Diocese of Knoxville, died at her home on Feb. 16. She was 90.
Mrs. Willard, during her time on the Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission a quarter of a century ago, joined in giving life to the idea for Catholic Day on the Hill as a way for Catholics across the state to convene with legislators oneon-one to discuss topics important to the Church as well as laws that affect all Tennesseans.
The Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission was the precursor to the Tennessee Catholic Conference, which now leads Catholic Day on the Hill.
The yearly event was just one of many faithbased endeavors Mrs. Willard was involved in during her lifetime.
She coordinated the ordinations and installations of the Diocese of Knoxville’s first two bishops and participated in the ordination and installation of Bishop Mark Beckman last year.
Pope Benedict XVI honored her with a papal award in 2006 when she was presented the Benemerenti Medal for service to the Catholic
chio, executive director, and Julie Perrey, deputy director of the faithbased organization.
“We’re very pleased with the day. We had a great turnout of students particularly,” Mr. Musacchio said. “The legislators always like seeing students. It has a great impact.
“Catholics make up such a small part of the state population, but everybody is so welcoming here, particularly the governor and leadership of the House and the Senate chambers,” he added. “It was a very effective day as we were able to bring Catholic values to the Tennessee government.”
When the day concluded, students, teachers, and the bishops said they found the day meaningful and edifying.
“I really enjoyed having the opportunity to experience and see what occurs in our state government,” said Joselyn Angel, a senior at Pope St. John Paul II Preparatory School. “It was very insightful to see how the system functions and gain a better understanding through a closer perspective, especially during the committee meetings.
“Having learned about these systems in my U.S. government class, it was fascinating to get a firsthand look as to how things operate,” she added. “It was also very beautiful to see how the Tennessee bishops and the Church are involved in our government in order to advocate for the people and its needs. I am very grateful for the opportunity to experience this day.”
Molly Bound, a Pope St. John Paul II social studies teacher who accompanied Joselyn and 12 other students, said she was very proud of her students.
“It’s critical for our students to see the Catholic Church and its theology as living—our faith will call us into the public square over the course of our lives,” Ms. Bound said. “The opportunity to see the Tennessee bishops actively participating in governmental discussion is something I hope will shape the students’ perception of the relationship between faith and action going forward. I hope the students were able to see just how much dedication is required for maintaining a democracy.”
“Every state representative, senator, and staff member at the Capitol has entered into a longstanding tradition of legal and normative standards that make our unique democracy possible,” she added. “The mere fact that we were able to watch our legislators at work is a testament to the American project and its commitment to participation and transparency.”
Don Thielke of the social sciences department at Father Ryan High School, who brought seven honors students, shared many of Ms. Bound’s sentiments.
“Our current political atmosphere and situation are in intense disorder, and adults might not be able to return to rational decision-making soon enough (or ever) in the current generation of politicians and voters. The youth are ‘our hope for the future.’ This phrase has been muchused in the past, but it is more true now than ever before,” Mr. Thielke said. “Youth must be taught critical thinking skills, how to take responsibility onto themselves for separating fact from fiction and be exposed to and understand the nuances of decision-making processes and issues that, in the real world, have a massive impact on the lives of virtually everyone in this country and millions (or even billions) of people worldwide.”
Bishop Beckman, who participated in Catholic Day on the Hill for the first time since being ordained and installed in July, said he appreciated the civility of the conversations they had with legislators.
“One of the things that has very much impressed me is how open our government leaders are to listening and to allowing the concerns that we’re bringing to the table to be heard, so I’m very grateful for that,” Bishop Beckman said. “To experience firsthand their thoughtful nature, how deliberative they are, and their concern for the good of all the people of Tennessee gives hope.
“We as Catholics, because of many centuries of reflection on the wisdom of how to structure human society with our social teaching, bring to the table good, solid principles that can also help form decisions that are made by the government.”
Bishop Spalding, who participated
Church. The term Benemerenti means “well merited” or a “person of good merit,” and the award was originally established to recognize soldiers in the Papal Army. It is now presented to members of clergy and laity as well as members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Mrs. Willard served as the organist and choir director for Immaculate Conception Church for more than 60 years, beginning her service when she was a student at Knoxville Catholic High School, where she graduated in the class of 1952. She also attended the former St. Mary School in downtown Knoxville.
Mrs. Willard, a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work, was a widely recognized and honored social worker. She received the John J. Duncan Award for Senior Advocacy from the Knox County Office on Aging in 2006. She also was an advocate for services for the poor in the Knoxville area and across the state.
“Mother was very proud of her advocacy for the poor,” said her son, Michael Willard, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in
in Catholic Day on the Hill for the third time, said it always turns out to be a positive experience.
“It’s been an adventure each and every time,” he said. “We have a
good presence here on the hill and that’s thanks to Rick and Julie. They are giving us a voice for our Catholic people and our Catholic principles.” ■
The annual Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries helps to provide essential ministries for those in need and helps to build up the Church in East Tennessee. Your support of the annual appeal has the power to make a meaningful difference and help sustain our essential ministries that bring hope, healing, and faith to so many.
Make your gift and learn more today at dioknox.org/appeal.
COURTESY OF THE WILLARD FAMILY
Faithful advocate Mary Catherine Willard is shown with her husband, George.
CATHOLIC MINISTRIES SUPPORTED BY THE BISHOP’S APPEAL FOR MINISTRIES
A front row to state government Left: Bishop David P. Talley of the Diocese of Memphis, left, Bishop Mark Beckman of the Diocese of Knoxville, center, and Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville sit together while meeting with state Rep. Gino Bulso. Right: Bishop Spalding speaks with students from Pope St. John Paul II Preparatory School before the group heads to Capitol Hill in Nashville.
Mary Catherine continued on page A19
Capitol continued from page A7
It is true that actual wheat must be used in a valid celebration of the Eucharist, but there are still ways to receive Holy Communion even as a Catholic with a severe gluten intolerance. Canon 924 of the Code of Canon Law discusses valid matter that is, the physical “stuff” necessary in order for a sacrament to “work”—for both species of the Eucharist. With respect to the bread that is to become the body of Christ, the canon tells us that “the bread must be wheaten only, and recently made, so that there is no danger of corruption (i.e., spoilage).
Because the eucharistic bread must be made of wheat, and because wheat fundamentally contains gluten, it would not seem to be possible to have eucharistic bread that was completely gluten-free. Most of the time, when we see truly gluten-free bread products in other, non-sacramental contexts, these breads are made of some grain like rice or corn that naturally do not contain gluten. Since these grains are not wheat, they cannot be used. Similarly, if there was a way to remove all of the
gluten out of a wheat product, it would be questionable whether this would remain “wheaten” in a meaningful sense. This is most likely the reasoning reflected in the 2003 letter by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith when it states: “Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist.”
However, this same letter goes on to note that: Low-gluten hosts (partially gluten-free) are valid matter, provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread. There are companies that produce ultra-low gluten hosts that many Catholics with celiac disease can tolerate. But even those celiacs who cannot take even trace amounts of gluten can still receive Holy Communion from the chalice. As the above-mentioned 2003 letter tells us: “A layperson affected by celiac disease, who is not able to receive Communion under the species of bread, including low-gluten hosts, may receive Communion under the species of wine only.”
Here it s good to point out that we as Catholics believe in the doctrine of concomitance, meaning that Jesus is fully present body, blood, soul, and divinity in either eucharistic species. This means that a Catholic is not somehow receiving “less Jesus” if they are, for instance, only able to receive from the chalice.
All that being said, I can appreciate where these rules and distinctions might seem somewhat nitpicky and even a bit out of character for the Jesus whom we know from the Gospels as being generous and understanding. But I think this is part of the great mystery of the sacraments in general
That is, we as a Church have received the sacraments as gifts from God “as is.” We can use what we know for sure to discern the parameters of what is valid and appropriate in their celebration, but we cannot edit them according to our own ideas of what would be best ■
Jenna Marie Cooper, who holds a licentiate in canon law, is a consecrated virgin and a canonist whose column appears regularly at OSV News. Send your questions to CatholicQA@osv.com
KNOXVILLE DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN
course the schedule and operational requirements.”
Countering abortions in East Tennessee
Deacon Duhamel explained that CCETN acquired the van at a discounted rate from a pro-life agency in Indiana, and the ultrasound machine on board the van was funded by the Knights of Columbus.
“As a brother Knight, I have a very close and deep affinity for all those Knights who are out there and so passionate about the pro-life work of our Catholic Church. There was never ever a question of ‘if we can help.’ It was always ‘how can we help?’” Deacon Duhamel said.
“Walt Hanson was a driving force as was Deacon Mike Gouge before he passed away. They represent the St. John Neumann Knights of Columbus council,” he continued.
Mr. Hanson noted that over the years of fundraising, the Knights collectively raised around $35,000. The Knights of Columbus Supreme Council provided an additional $37,000.
“This is about, I'm going to say, three-plus years’ worth of effort that has gotten our ultrasound van on the street,” Mr. Hanson added. “We spent a couple of years just fundraising to get the van and the ultrasound in the van, and then after that was raising money to try to get it on the street. You can have a van, but you can’t go very far if you don’t have gas and you don’t have drivers or staff to go in it.”
The mobile ultrasound van made its debut on Jan. 23 at the Pregnancy Help Center in Helenwood.
“We’re happy to see that it’s being used, but we also realize that there’s interest going forward in a second van; and the fact of the matter is these vans and machines have limited life expectancy,” Mr. Hanson said. “So, now that we know it’s possible, now we know we have to keep it up. We know we can do it, so we’ll have to continue to do it.”
In addition to those from the Knights of Columbus, other contributions poured in from the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and individual parishes.
While the ultrasound van may not be as spacious as the ultrasound room at CCETN’s main offices, it “still is affording us to provide these services to young women as a way for them to see their child who is growing inside of them,” Deacon Duhamel said.
“It’s really intended to be a medical tool that will hopefully help us to counter abortions in East Tennessee. There’s a lot of different percentages out there, but it’s a real high percentage when a woman comes to us who is abortion-minded and she has the opportunity to see her baby, hear the heartbeat the percentage is really high that she chooses not to abort. This is such a life-affirming ministry, and being able to partner with St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic to bring this out to the community is of tremendous value,” he continued.
Sandi Davidson oversees the ultrasound program for CCETN “We are just absolutely thrilled to come alongside St. Mary’s Legacy,” she remarked. “There can only be just blessings coming from it. They’ve really done all the hard work, and we’re coming alongside them to add to their services, but also, it’s a blessing for us because then we don’t have to do what they’ve already laid out. It’s a winwin situation, not only for us but also our clients because they’ll only benefit from us referring our clients to them and they referring their clients to us. I think in traveling around the diocese of East Tennessee, underserved communities will have services that they haven’t had in a very long time, if ever.”
Currently, the ultrasound van goes out into the field on Tuesdays and Thursdays, to St. John Paul II Parish in Rutledge and St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg. When fully operational, the van will go out into the field four days a week, including to the Chattanooga and Five Rivers deaneries.
“We have a driver, but we still
need volunteers because one of our nurses actually runs the clinic in the Knoxville Pregnancy Center, so she’s just on board right now until we can get someone else to be with our nurse on the mobile unit. We need volunteers; they do not have to be medical. They can just help us with witnessing the ultrasounds and doing intakes, but we also need drivers,” Ms. Davidson said
Samantha Bigley is a registered nurse who performs ultrasounds for CCETN. She has volunteered with the organization for one year and has been working in the Knoxville area for the past three months
Ms. Bigley observed that the setup with SMLC was nice because “it is very organized.”
“How we set up was very easy; we weren’t guessing on where to go. The patients knew where to go. Everything was run very smoothly,” she said. The most enjoyable part of Ms. Bigley’s job is “seeing babies, being able to tell people about their babies, showing them and introducing that glimpse of them with the mother.”
On the other end of the spectrum, the most challenging situations are when someone is abortion-minded or when someone miscarries, she said
“Delivering hard news is challenging,” Ms. Bigley commented.
Melissa Coldiron is the mobile ultrasound clinic coordinator for CCETN, but several years ago she worked as the clinical nurse manager for SMLC She also enjoys the role of helping moms connect to their babies
“It’s such a vague kind of thing sometimes, you know, for moms when you’re pregnant you can’t really see the baby yet. It just helps them to introduce them to their baby and start loving that baby from an early point. I just think that the pictures are fantastic,” she said
“Having worked with St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic before, I think the partnership is very, very good,”
Ms. Coldiron said. “The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has been in the community for a long time now, and so I think the people trust them. Also, I think us being connected with them at some of the locations will help the clients who we might see feel like they can trust us because we’re associated with them.”
‘It’s like a family’
Martin Vargas, executive director of SMLC, has been anticipating a partnership with CCETN for a couple of years and is now glad to see that goal come to fruition
“It’s just such an amazing thing that you can have two organizations that are the hands and feet of Jesus today come together and deliver care for those most in need where they’re at,” Mr. Vargas said. “You come in one parking lot and get all your needs met. We’re in a church today, so you have your spiritual needs here. You have your physical healing needs here. You can affirm life here. It's just a perfect, perfect setup.”
Mr. Vargas said the state of Tennessee offers a wonderful program where women can receive health insurance on TennCare as soon as they become pregnant, so no pregnant mother will be uninsured.
“Going forward, if a woman rolls off of TennCare, then she can continue to receive medical care from the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic free of charge as an uninsured patient,” he
remarked
Mr. Vargas also shared that the state of Tennessee does provide the clinic with some funding for their patients
“State funding does not cover the comprehensive nature of care, but it does help tremendously. We are grateful to the state of Tennessee for that funding,” he said. “The state not only recognizes us as a legitimate health-care provider but as a valued health-care partner that goes out to where the people are, meets them where they are, and meets the needs they have. It’s an incredible opportunity.”
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic serves the communities of Knoxville, Athens, Decatur, Crab Orchard, Crossville, Gatlinburg, Helenwood, Rutledge, Washburn, and Pigeon Forge.
Scott, a SMLC patient who comes to the Gatlinburg clinic site, said he wishes more people knew about their services
“I was in the hospital about three years ago with a collapsed lung, pneumonia, and all kinds of problems,” he said. “When I got out, I didn’t have any medical insurance or anything. I hadn’t been to the doctor in years. And some friends here got me to come in; they pretty much saved my life, St. Mary’s.
When Scott was released from the hospital, he said he could not afford diabetes medication
“I got into St. Mary’s and they helped with it, they helped me get it at a very affordable price, almost nothing. I’m here trying to take care of my elderly, disabled father, and I wouldn’t be able to do it, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for St. Mary’s Clinic,” he said
Scott said the clinic staff and volunteers show empathy
“They care about how we’re feeling, what we’re doing. You’re not sure about something, they’ll walk you through it. They’re just very great; it’s great here,” he observed. “They’re all great, and they go above and beyond for me and everyone else. You don’t know how many lives they touch. Thank God for St. Mary’s.”
For those who are uninsured and uncertain about seeing a doctor, Scott has some encouraging words “Come right here; it’ll save your life. Dr. [John] Harris and the Sisters, they’re all great here. It’s like a family now,” he shared
Sister clinics
During the Gatlinburg clinic site, SMLC was visited by two members of the Rural Parish Clinic from the Archdiocese of St. Louis in Missouri
Terri Cammarata, president and CEO of Rural Parish Clinic, and Sister Mary Rachel Nerbun, a Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma, Mich., and medical clinic director, visited the Knoxville area for one week to shadow the staff and volunteers of SMLC
“We have both medical and dental mobile clinics that provide care to our rural communities in the St. Louis area,” Ms. Cammarata said, noting that their medical clinic is entering its sixth year
Sister Mary Rachel works closely with SMLC’s medical director, Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM.
“[Sister Mary Rachel] thought it’d be a great opportunity to come in and observe, see some of their efficiencies, how they run some of their
processes, get to know Martin (Vargas) and Sarah (Grimes), just to be able to collaborate. So, we’re kind of like sister clinics and help each other as we navigate these changing times,” Ms. Cammarata said She explained that when the Medicaid program expanded, Missouri expanded its program, but Tennessee did not.
“So, there’s a higher number of patients here that are uninsured versus that are in Missouri,” Ms. Cammarata shared. “So, just trying to understand the differences related to those programs, getting the message out. … We still have a lot of room to grow, and I know the communities out there that need the care, and just trying to get the message out there. How do I draw them in? How do I get them? Because we provide such an outstanding service; our medical providers and our dental providers do a fantastic job. We just want to make sure we are utilized to the fullest of the ability and also pick Martin’s brain about how he’s gone out and different avenues that he’s utilized, having interviews to help get the message out, social media, branding, those kinds of things that we need to continue to work on.”
Sister Mary Rachel noted the St. Louis mobile clinics also are run by Religious Sisters of Mercy, staff, and volunteers
One of the greatest needs of the Missouri clinic is to establish more connections in the rural communities
“This is something that St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has done extremely well. They have partnered with local people who invite them in, help to support the clinic, meet them here on clinic days, and help to get the patients here,” she said. “Very often the interpreters they are using come from the local communities here. So, this is something we are really working on trying to build up on our clinic because it makes people much more comfortable to come on the clinic if they know that the community is supporting them and involved.”
The Religious Sister of Mercy also believes working with local communities raises awareness of population health concerns
“I think that both our clinics, the real goal is to try to improve the health-care outcomes of people over time. And to bring a little bit of the touch of the Lord with us, right, is to have them have an experience of being loved and cared for as a whole person, because we’re not just looking at medical needs, we’re also looking at … all the other needs. We can give them medication, but if they can’t eat or they have no place to live or they lose their transportation, it’s kind of not really looking at the whole person,” Sister Mary Rachel shared
While visiting SMLC in the Knoxville area, both Sister Mary Rachel and Ms. Cammarata said there is a lot to be learned from each clinic site.
“Many things to be learned, even in how they do their process of check-in,” Sister Mary Rachel said. “Even in how many volunteers they carry with them at a time to help with the process of greeting people, checking them in, and trying to keep the flow up to the physicians going smoothly. There are also some differences in how we get resources and what we carry on board and some of the services that we’re able to do. We’re able to do bedside ultrasound. They don’t have that here at this clinic, but I have a provider that was very interested in doing this.”
Mr. Vargas called the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., “the secret sauce to what we do” in describing their medical prowess as they provide health care to the uninsured in the rural areas of East Tennessee and in the Archdiocese of St. Louis
“It’s an amazing day,” Mr. Vargas commented. “We have brought together the Religious Sisters of Mercy. We’re doing a best-practice swapping. We have a Sister in who is their medical director and their brand new CEO, Terri Cammarata, is here. They are teaching us so much and we’re sharing with them what we do, how we deliver the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.” ■
Health-care huddle Staff and volunteers with St. Mary's Legacy Clinic and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee's ultrasound van join in prayer in St. Mary's parish hall in Gatlinburg on Feb. 27 before going to work to serve patients
BILL BREWER
‘ One of the most powerful days of the year ’
Parishes see strong attendance at Ash Wednesday Masses as Lent begins
The East Tennessee Catholic
Catholics ushered in Lent on Ash Wednesday at churches across East Tennessee as they begin their annual journey to Easter, April 19-20.
Faithful of all ages received their ashen crosses that signify Christ’s Passion and resurrection during Masses throughout the day on March 5.
Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where a standing-room-only congregation assembled for the noon service.
The bishop placed ashes on foreheads in a celebration that could be seen in churches around the Diocese of Knoxville led by the diocese’s priests.
Ash Wednesday, which began the 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance leading to Easter, is not a holy day of obligation, but it is considered a holy day of invitation. Non-Catholics also can receive ashes in this annual celebration.
“I have always found the day of Ash Wednesday to be one of the most powerful days of the year as a Catholic. Don’t you agree?” Bishop Beckman asked to begin his homily.
“Something draws us back to the Church on this day, sometimes above all others. And for me, one of the most powerful moments is that moment when we mark the foreheads in ashes with the sign of the cross. Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return,” the bishop continued.
Every church in the diocese collected the charcoal-like remains of burned palms that were blessed from previous Palm Sundays for this season’s ashes.
“As a priest, marking foreheads with that symbol and those words has always been profoundly moving and humbling. And yet, the first moment when our foreheads are marked with the sign of the cross is not with ashes. When someone is brought to the font of baptism, marked with sacred chrism at that moment, with the sign of the cross, we are claimed by God as beloved daughters, beloved sons of God,” Bishop Beckman shared.
“Today, when you receive my
mark of the ashes on your forehead, your Father is calling you home again. He’s reminding you that you belong with Him. You are a beloved son or daughter. He’s been waiting for you. So, whatever in your life has held you back from Him, He’s asking you today to let go of it.
“Let God remove the obstacles that hold you back from Him today. Remember who you are, that you belong to God. And once we know this great mystery, what happens to us? We’re drawn into Lent with a deeper sense of prayer. We want to go to our Father, to speak to Him, to listen, to be awakened day by day during these days of Lent,” Bishop Beckman advised.
He reflected on the foundation of Lent: prayer, sacrifice, and doing
being formed not just intellectually; not just passing a test but where is the desire being formed?”
The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate the Georgetown University-affiliated research center that conducts studies about the Catholic Church notes that in 1965, marriages in the Church in a previous year numbered 347,179. In 2023, the figure was 111,245.
A 2015 Pew Research Center poll found that only two-thirds of Catholics (68 percent) married civilly were wed in the Catholic Church. Catholic marriages obviously need help and Witness to Love is designed to provide the robust accompaniment that can equip couples with the tools to both discern marriage and to stay married.
“Couples coming in for marriage today are actually, I think, facing different challenges than people even 20 to 30 years ago were facing,” said Jodi Todd, coordinator of marriage formation at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler, Texas.
Mrs. Todd cites the rise of social media and fragmented family schedules as factors but the model Witness to Love offers has nonetheless had visible results.
“The engaged couples as they’re getting married they’re more likely to keep coming to Mass. They know people now,” Mrs. Todd shared.
Prior to offering the Witness to Love program, “we were seeing kind of a frustrating amount of people getting married we’re giving them all this truth; we’re telling them everything and then they wouldn’t show up at Mass,” Mrs. Todd recalled. “I would say that has actually really decreased. ... They’re coming to Mass more.”
“I do feel,” Mrs. Todd concluded, “like we’re seeing everything that Witness to Love promised working in our parish.”
something for others.
“We want to give up extraneous things in life, that extra stuff that doesn’t really fulfill the human heart. That is what fasting is about. And we want to become, more profoundly, givers of love for one another. That is the mystery behind almsgiving,” he concluded.
He urged the congregation to remember that they are beloved daughters and sons of God. “And the Father is inviting you home today.”
University of Tennessee-Knoxville students poured into St. John XXIII Catholic Center, where they filled every seat, lined the walls, and even filled the campus building outside of the large room where Mass was celebrated.
The students were receptive to
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison, Wis., has also seen the fruit of Witness to Love.
“We’ve implemented it in a great percentage of our parishes, to wonderful impact,” said Bishop Hying, whose diocese includes 102 parishes in the 11-county area of southwestern Wisconsin. “So, I think our engaged couples who have participated in it would say it’s prepared them well for marriage and brought them into deeper engagement with the Church."
The newlywed/married mentors component is, Bishop Hying confirmed, vital.
“There’s really a mutual benefit for both of the couples,” he explained. “And our priests are
the homily given by Father Bob O’Donnell, CSP, just before they lined up to receive their ashes. Father O’Donnell may have surprised them when he opened with a pop quiz.
“Where do babies come from? This is possibly children’s mostasked question. Where do these ashes come from? That may be the least-asked question by any of us. Ultimately, they come from the burning of palms from past Palm Sunday celebrations,” the Paulist priest answered.
“The palms of victory and glory that welcomed Jesus that day soon turned to the seeming ashes of Good Friday with His crucifixion. It’s a good reminder, with ashes in the form of a cross, that our salvation springs not from our own efforts but from Christ’s saving cross and resurrection, the fullness of God’s love offered to us,” Father O’Donnell said.
“If the sacrifice of the cross— self-giving of Jesus—offers that forgiving love, then it is our self-giving, to the Lord and one another, that opens us to receive that healing mercy and love. Our sacrifice can take many forms as proclaimed in today’s Scripture,” he added.
Father O’Donnell, who is in senior ministry at St. John XXIII, advised the students to engage in fasting and other ways of self-denial, prayer, and generosity to make their Lenten journey fulfilling.
“’Giving up’ something breaks through our self-indulgence and self-satisfaction and points to other challenges: to give up backbiting, untruthful boasting, and racist comments. More intense prayer removes our armor of selfsufficiency. We need God. And almsgiving, generosity in any form, leads us away from possessiveness and self-centeredness,” he said. “And there is much else that we can give or give up: give time to listen to a friend in distress; give help and service. Literally clean up where we live; give up excess consumerism.”
Father Larry Rice, CSP, pastor of St. John XXIII, is greatly encouraged by the Mass attendance on Ash Wednesday at St. John XXIII. He said the other Masses on March
very happy with it. It really has transformed our marriage process. ... Witness to Love has really become our normative way of doing marriage prep.”
While involving mentor couples lightens a priest or deacon's workload, it's also a change for some parishes.
“It’s a little difficult at first because pastors are like, ‘What do you mean they picked their own mentor couple?’” said Stacy Golden, director of the Office of Family, Youth, and Young Adult Ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Golden was director of evangelization at a parish that was among the first in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to adopt Witness to Love.
“The biggest thing here is to let the Holy Spirit guide and not to try to micromanage mentor couples,” she advised. “Even though it may seem like you don’t have enough control, if you go with something like this a more evangelizing model I would say that God is always in control. So, get out of the way of the Holy Spirit and let the Lord work.”
Father Dan Tracy, associate pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Hudson, Wis., said Witness to Love is a potential antidote to the discouraging state of Catholic marriages.
“It’s really easy to look at the declining marriage numbers and just say, ‘Let’s put our efforts elsewhere.’ Mr. and Mrs. Verret and other people I’ve met who’ve been involved with Witness to Love have taken the complete opposite approach. This is actually where we need to be putting more time and energy,” Father Tracy said.
While St. Patrick has been using Witness to Love since January 2024, Father Tracy is encouraged and has seen “positive signs” in the couples it has served.
“Couples that I don’t think would have been in relationship with our parish and maybe wouldn’t even be regular Mass attendees are,” the St. Patrick priest said. ■
Witness continued from page A5
Witnesses to love Ryan and Mary-Rose Verret of the Witness to Love Marriage Ministry are pictured at the Vatican in an undated photo.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/COURTESY OF HALE FAMILY
We are dust Above: Bishop Mark Beckman places ashes on the forehead of a man during Mass on Ash Wednesday, March 5, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Below: Students at St. Joseph School in Knoxville received their ashes with reverence.
STEVE COY
Lent continued on page A17
COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL
Ash Wednesday Across the Diocese
5 were equally as full, if not more crowded, than the noon Mass.
“It’s pretty amazing. And this is what we see very consistently, year after year. People want to be here on Ash Wednesday. They want to be marked as a faithful Catholic Christian. They want a start to their Lent. This is how they do it. On the other major holidays—Christmas and Easter—the students are all at home,” Father Rice explained.
“This is a Wednesday, and they are all in school, and they are all here. So, we get huge,
huge crowds. We may see 1,500 or 2,000 people come through here today. And it is not a holy day of obligation,” he added.
Father Rice noted that if someone witnessed the Masses at St. John XXIII on Ash Wednesday, they would disagree that young people are falling away from the Church.
“We see a lot of really great young adults here who are serious about their faith and I think who see Ash Wednesday as an opportunity for them to recharge and restart. We are happy to have them here. We have all kinds of resources to help them with their Lenten observance. This
is a great and energizing place to be on Ash Wednesday,” Father Rice said about the young congregation.
As the students left St. John XXIII after Mass to return to class and their activities on campus, they were comforted by the closing remark in Father O’Donnell’s homily. “As we are marked with ashes in the sign of the cross, we trust that God will lead us through Christ to resurrection and new life.”
During this Lenten season, Bishop Beckman presided at the diocesan Rite of Election
Lent continued from page A16 Lent continued on page A18
Knoxville Catholic High School Mass celebrated by Father Randy Stice at All Saints Church.
BILL BREWER
Mass at St. John XXIII Catholic Center on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus.
Father Mark Scholz places ashes on a parishioner at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Dunlap.
COURTESY
COURTESY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA PARISH
Deacon Bill Jacobs delivers remarks during Ash Wednesday Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa. Seated to the left is Our Lady of Fatima parochial vicar Father Joseph Austin.
Father Bo Beaty places ashes on a St. John Neumann School student during Mass at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut.
EMILY
GABRIELLE
Father Michael Willey blesses the ashes with holy water during Mass at All Saints Church in Knoxville.
Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville, leads Ash Wednesday Mass. Assisting Father Kuzhupil is Deacon Wil Johnson.
DAN MCWILLIAMS
Deacon Walt Otey and Bishop Mark Beckman distribute Communion during Ash Wednesday Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Lenten penance services scheduled for parishes around the diocese
Here are the Lenten penance services received as of press time:
Chattanooga Deanery
Tuesday, March 11—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Cleveland, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, March 12—Our Lady of Lourdes, South Pittsburg, 6:30 p.m. CDT; Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy, 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 13—Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga, 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, March 18— St. Stephen, Chattanooga, 6 p.m.; Thursday, March 20—St. Bridget,
Lent continued from page A17
Dayton, 6:30 p.m.; St. Augustine, Signal Mountain, 7 p.m.; Monday, March 24—Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga, 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, March 25—St. Jude, Chattanooga, 6:30 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, March 27-28—Notre Dame High School, Chattanooga, during religion classes; Tuesday, April 1—St. Mary, Athens, 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 12— St. Faustina Public Association of the Faithful, Chattanooga, time to be announced.
Cumberland Mountain Deanery
on March 8 at the cathedral. Individuals taking part in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults from the four deaneries took part in the service.
The rite is an important step in OCIA, which is the formal process of evangelization and catechetical instruction, prayer, and liturgies where adults, or catechumens, are formally admitted into the Church and receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. Individuals in OCIA who previously have been baptized also take part in the process and are called candidates.
During the course of the OCIA program, the individual follows a spiritual journey of “steps” accomplished through defined periods punc-
Thursday, March 27—Knoxville Catholic High School, juniors and seniors, 10:25 a.m.; Friday, March 28— KCHS, freshmen and sophomores, 10:25 a.m.; Monday, March 31—St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade, 6 p.m. CDT
Five Rivers Deanery
Tuesday, March 18—St. Henry, Rogersville, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, March 25— St. Michael the Archangel, Erwin, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, March 26—Holy Trinity, Jefferson City, 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 27—St. Mary, Johnson
tuated with formal rites. The Rite of Election closes the period of the catechumenate, which typically coincides with the first Sunday of Lent.
At this rite, upon the testimony of sponsors and catechists and the catechumens’ affirmation of their intention to join the Church, the Church makes its “election” of these catechumens and candidates to receive the sacraments of initiation.
Holy Week will be observed beginning with Palm Sunday on April 13. The Chrism Mass will take place on Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m., followed by Holy Thursday on April 17, and Good Friday on April 18.
Bishop Beckman will celebrate the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday, April 19, at the cathe -
City, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, April 1—St. Elizabeth, Elizabethton, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, April 2—St. Anthony of Padua, Mountain City, 6 p.m.; Thursday, April 3—St. Dominic, Kingsport, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, April 8—Notre Dame, Greeneville, 7 p.m.
Smoky Mountain Deanery Wednesday, March 26—St. John XXIII, Knoxville, 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 27—Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa, 7 p.m.; Thursday, April 3—St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville, 7 p.m.
dral beginning at dusk. During Easter Vigil, the bishop will administer the sacraments to the catechumens and candidates entering the Church.
The Diocese of Knoxville’s 51 parishes and mission church, as well as its Chattanooga public association, are also planning Holy Week and Easter observances.
The sacrament of reconciliation is central to the Lenten season and is available at every church. Lenten penance services are being offered in each of the four deaneries.
The seven-week Easter season, or Eastertide, that begins on April 19 includes the feast of the Ascension 40 days after Easter and concludes on the 50th day of Eastertide with Pentecost Sunday. ■
University of Tennessee-Knoxville students show off their ashes following Ash Wednesday Mass at St. John XXIII Catholic Center.
BILL BREWER
CLAIRE COLLINS
Deacon Hicks Armor places ashes during Mass at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga.
MAGGIE PARSONS
Father Martin Gladysz and Deacon Fredy Vargas distribute ashes at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
COURTESY OF ST. JUDE PARISH
Father Charlie Burton places ashes on the forehead of a young parishioner at St. Jude Church.
Glenn Kahler leads the music ministry at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Ash Wednesday.
STEVE COY
Parishioners at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga kneel at the Communion rail to receive ashes from Father Alex Hernandez.
CLAIRE
COLLINS
Mollie Krueger, a teacher at St. Joseph School, distributes ashes to students during an allschool Mass that was celebrated by Father Tim Sullivan, CSP.
COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH SCHOOL
Knoxville Catholic High School students lead the recessional at the conclusion of the all-school Mass at All Saints Church.
COURTESY OF KNOXVILLE CATHOLIC
shows that “the underlying forces that drove the long-term declines are still very much in evidence.”
The report found that 62 percent of U.S. adults currently describe themselves as Christian, with the majority (40 percent) Protestant, 19 percent Catholic, and 3 percent as Christians from other denominations.
The total number of self-identified U.S. Christians is down from 78 percent in 2007 and 71 percent in 2014. In 2007, 24 percent of the nation identified as Catholic, which dropped to 21 percent in 2021. Over one-quarter (29 percent) of the U.S. population identifies as religiously unaffiliated, with most (19 percent) describing themselves as religiously “nothing in particular,” 5 percent as atheist, and 6 percent as agnostic. Another 7 percent of the U.S. population belongs to religions other than Christianity, with 2
percent being Jewish, and Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus counting as approximately 1 percent each.
Yet overall, most Americans (86 percent) believe people have a soul or spirit, and 83 percent say they believe in God or a universal spirit. A majority (79 percent) also hold there is a spiritual reality beyond the natural one, and 70 percent believe in heaven, hell, or both. Still, less than half (44 percent) say they pray at least once a day, a figure that has held steady since 2021, and 33 percent report attending religious services at least once a month.
Generally, “younger Americans remain far less religious than older adults,” said Pew, noting that 46 percent of the survey’s youngest respondents (ages 18-24) identified as Christian, with 27 percent praying daily, and 25 percent attending religious services at least monthly. In comparison, the survey’s oldest respondents (ages 74 and older) saw
Austin, Texas. “She worked with Father Charles Strobel when he was assistant pastor at Immaculate Conception Church to feed the homeless and needy in Knoxville. She continued and expanded that vocation when she worked as assistant director at the Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service for many years.”
Mrs. Willard also served on local boards and committees, including the 1996 Leadership Knoxville class and the St. Mary’s Medical Center board of directors, and as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, George N. Willard, and her sister, Sister Mary Jolita Hughes, RSM. She is survived by her children: sons Patrick (Diane), Michael, and Ned (Maria) Willard; daughters Ann (Danny) MacDonald, Jean (John) Asinger, Mary Jo (Jim) Schmalz, and Karen (Kenny) Kidner; as well as 21 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and her sister, Therese (Pat) Hurley.
Upon the 2000 death of her sibling, Sister Jolita, who was a longtime teacher at St. Joseph School in Knoxville, Mrs. Willard and her family partnered with her sister, Therese Hurley, and Mrs. Hurley’s family to sponsor the Sister Jolita Irish Supper & Sing-Along, which is a fundraiser for St. Joseph School.
Mrs. Willard gave her body to East Tennessee State University-Quillen College of Medicine’s anatomical gift program. A memorial service for her is set for Saturday, April 5, at 11 a.m. at Immaculate Conception. Donations in Mrs. Willard’s memory may be made to the Sister Jolita Fund at St. Joseph School, 1810 Howard Road, Knoxville, TN 37918, or to the George and Mary Catherine Willard Fund at Knoxville Catholic High School, 9245 Fox Lonas Road, Knoxville, TN 37923.
Following her death, memorial tributes about Mrs. Willard poured in, expressing sadness about her passing and joy at having known her and worked with her.
Among those was Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, who first met Mrs. Willard when he was announced by Pope John Paul II as the Diocese of Knoxville’s second shepherd in 1999.
“First of all, Mary Catherine was one of the first people I met when I was appointed the bishop of Knoxville 25 years ago in October 1999. She made contact with me immediately to begin organizing the Mass of ordination. It was to take place in only six weeks, so it took a really organized mastermind to be able to pull that off. She was the right person. A year before, she had organized the 10th anniversary of the diocese and so made good use of the various people for committees,” Archbishop Kurtz shared.
“She revealed to me a couple of qualities that were exemplified in my friendship with her over the next quarter of a century. She was undoubtedly a woman of deep Catholic faith. She was a woman who was grateful for the gift of her faith and the gift of her family upbringing. This also showed itself in her loving relationship with her husband, George, and their children.
“Mary Catherine was also an organizer by nature. I recall that she was the main force in beginning Catholic Day on the Hill in Nashville to bring Catholics to the state Capitol to advocate for important moral issues of the day. Thus, she showed a thirst for a true sense of justice and a healthy dose of organizing because of all the logistics that would be demanded,” the archbishop recalled.
Archbishop Kurtz served as bishop of the Church in East Tennessee until 2007, when Pope Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Louisville. He retired in 2022, when he became Archbishop Emeritus of Louisville.
“There was a soft goodness to Mary Catherine. Twice a year for the last 25 years I would hear her voice over the phone, first around my birthday, and secondly on Dec. 8, the anniversary of my ordination. She would invariably talk about her remembrance of my parishioners and family from Pennsylvania, whom she said hated to have me
80 percent identify as Christian, 58 percent pray daily, and 49 percent attend religious services at least monthly.
Catholics polled by Pew have also shown an increased acceptance of abortion and homosexuality since 2007. Among Catholic survey respondents, 59 percent said abortion should be legal in most or all cases, compared to 48 percent in both Pew’s 2007 and 2014 surveys. The Catholic Church holds that human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception, and since the first century has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.
A majority (59 percent) of religiously affiliated people in the United States say homosexuality should be accepted by society, with 74 percent of Catholic respondents endorsing that view. The Catholic Church, which teaches that sexual activity can only morally take place
leave Pennsylvania for Tennessee. Of course, she said this tongue in cheek,” he said. “Mary Catherine was also amazing in her ability to cultivate friendships. I don’t think I knew anybody in the Diocese of Knoxville who knew more people and who was known by more people than Mary Catherine Willard.”
Archbishop Kurtz said he will miss Mrs. Willard’s annual calls, “but I pray that she will be looking down from the heights of heaven having received her well-deserved reward for a welllived life following Christ. May she rest in peace.”
Bishop James V. Johnston of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri is a Knoxville native who knows the Willard family well and worked with Mrs. Willard on diocesan activities when he was a priest in the Diocese of Knoxville and also served as the diocese’s chancellor.
“As I think about it, I have known Mary Catherine most of my life. First, as Mrs. Willard when I was in school at St. Joseph, and then at Knoxville Catholic and had Willard children and their cousins all around me in school. Mrs. Willard’s sister, Sister Jolita, was my seventh-grade teacher. Mary Catherine and her husband, George, were fixtures at so many of the events in my childhood and adolescence,” Bishop Johnston remembered.
“I got to know her and work with her as an adult after I became a priest. She was the ‘goto’ person in the early years of the Diocese of Knoxville when we had big events to plan and organize. Mary Catherine had that amazing combination of warmth, charm, and leadership to pull everyone together to do something amazing. If she was involved, you knew it was going to be a recipe for success,” Bishop Johnston continued. “After all these years away from the diocese (17), I still stayed in touch with her, especially around Christmas. In fact, she sent me the nicest note a few months ago about things going on in Knoxville and having recently seen my mother. She was a great Catholic woman. I am among the many who will miss her, but I am grateful for her good life and that she now goes to her reward.”
Deacon Sean Smith, who serves as chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville, worked with Mrs. Willard on a number of diocesan events, including Bishop Mark Beckman’s July 26 ordination and installation at the Knoxville Convention Center.
“I considered Mary Catherine the godmother of the diocese. She simply was an exemplary faithful servant of Christ. I’ll never forget how enjoyable and fruitful it was to participate with her during Catholic Day on the Hill in Nashville. She was instrumental in creating, managing, and executing these special days,” Deacon Smith observed.
“I asked Mary Catherine, as a papal honoree, if she would let us honor her by having her be a part of the lead procession at Bishop Beckman’s
in marriage between a man and a woman, also teaches that people with homosexual inclinations “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.”
Catholics also have “experienced the greatest net losses” due to what Pew researchers called “religious switching,” with 43 percent of the people raised Catholic no longer identifying as such, “meaning that 12.8 percent of all U.S. adults are former Catholics,” according to the report.
However, Mr. Smith said, “It is also important to point out that 1.5 percent of U.S. adults are converts to Catholicism.”
“That’s millions of people,” he said. “That means there are more converts to Catholicism in the United States than there are Episcopalians, for example. There are more converts to Catholicism than there are members of congregational churches, and so on.” ■
ordination and installation Mass. When she said yes to the request, I was filled with joy,” he added.
Janie Hennessy and Dorothy Curtis, who are longtime diocesan employees, also worked closely on faith-based projects with Mrs. Willard.
Mrs. Hennessy recalled that she was first introduced to Mrs. Willard in the mid-1990s when the diocese was about eight years old.
“She was here for the first installation of Bishop (Anthony J.) O’Connell in 1988. I came to the diocese in 1994. Mary Catherine was instrumental. One of the first large gatherings she worked on was the 10th anniversary of the diocese in 1998 at the Knoxville Convention Center. She formed groups and committees and organized them,” Mrs. Hennessy recalled.
“Outside of all the functions that she worked on, she was probably the one and only person that I have ever met in my life who had so much joy and love in her heart for all the Catholic faithful, and even the unfaithful. She was a kind and loving woman, and she possessed qualities that I felt you would look for in a friend,” said Mrs. Hennessy, who was especially impressed by Mrs. Willard’s ability to express herself and join people from all walks of life together to work on committees for Church projects.
“She motivated people. And she had one of the most joyful and loving smiles. I feel very grateful that I had an opportunity to spend some time with her over the years for different events. They were usually major events for the diocese. She kept all of us together. She was organized. She knew how to work with people, and it didn’t matter who they were. She had an open, Christian heart each and every time,” Mrs. Hennessy noted.
Mrs. Curtis first encountered Mrs. Willard at Immaculate Conception, where Mrs. Curtis and her husband, Robert, attended Mass with the Willards. Mrs. Willard also served at Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service with Mr. Curtis, who was a registered nurse instructor.
“I have known Mary Catherine for almost 40 years. It was so intriguing for me to see how she was able to accomplish such a vast amount of good work, seemingly without any effort at all. She was a woman genuinely filled with love for everyone. I will always remember our sweet conversations and her calls to me to check on my husband throughout his long illness,” Mrs. Curtis said.
The Chancery member and former employee of The Paraclete Catholic book and gift store captured the feelings of most all who knew Mrs. Willard.
“She was such a blessing for so many and indeed the whole diocese. I will miss her,” Mrs. Curtis said. ■
Mary Catherine continued from page A13
A servant's heart Left: Mary Catherine Willard is shown with former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen at Catholic Day on the Hill. Gov. Bredesen led the state from 2003-2011. Right: Mrs. Willard, right, processes into the Knoxville Convention Center during the ordination and installation of Bishop Mark Beckman on July 26, 2024. Processing with Mrs. Willard is her sister, Therese Hurley.
Books, faith, and friendship
A ‘Well-Read Mom ’ begins with a group discussion about published works
By Heather King Angelus News
Well-Read Mom is the brainchild of Marcie Stokman, a mother of seven and a registered nurse with a master’s degree in psychology. It’s a site committed to helping women take care of their hearts by reclaiming time for books and friendship, preferably in a group setting.
“Read More. Read Well” runs the site’s tagline. The intro text reads: “It can be a challenge to make time to read in a world that never stops. Developing and maintaining the ability for deep reading isn’t something we can take for granted. Millions of Americans won’t read a single book this year. You won’t be one of them.”
“My husband and I had moved to a new city. We didn’t know anyone; he was in school and working, and I was home with this colicky baby. I didn’t know one other mom. It was such a new experience. An extremely lonely experience.”
She and her husband went to Guatemala several times on mission trips. One day Marcie followed the local women down to the stream where they were doing laundry on a rock.
“They were laughing and singing, and I realized, ‘I have a Maytag, but I have a different kind of poverty. I have a poverty of community.’”
Fast forward to 2012. Marcie’s daughter, Beth, had just had her first child.
She called one day and said, “Mom, I’ve been three times to this mothers’ group, and all they talk about is what kind of diaper to buy. Isn’t there a place to go and talk about the real questions of life?”
Says Marcie, “When your kid’s heart hurts, your heart hurts. I recognized that same loneliness I’d had. I thought, ‘Oh no, not another generation!’”
Meanwhile, she was giving talks around her area in rural Minnesota. Some of the women to whom she spoke were Protestant; others, like Marcie, were Catholic.
One talk, she thought, “Let me ask what they’re reading. Turned
Moms continued from page A4
reflection and conversation.”
Ms. Barnette explained the unique role her Well-Read Mom group has played in the Kingsport community.
“While our church and local community have other book clubs, they often rely on members to decide what to read. Some groups are strict about reading assignments, while others are more focused on the social aspect. Well-Read Mom is unique because it offers a beautifully curated list of books each year centered on a theme, along with well-crafted discussion questions. Faith is central to our discussions, even when the books aren’t overtly Catholic or religious,” Ms. Barnette observed.
“One of the key principles of Well-Read Mom is that you’re always welcome to attend, even if you haven’t started or finished the book—there’s no guilt, just grace for the season of life you’re in. Many of us have experienced times when reading was difficult, but the intention to read and engage is always there. This keeps our group from becoming purely social and ensures our discussions are meaningful and rooted in faith,” she added.
Women meet in homes, churches, coffee shops, and other meeting places, often accompanied by food and drink. Well-Read Mom provides an audio recorded by Marcie Stokman to begin every meeting that introduces the book and some of its major themes and closes with an audio introducing the next month’s book choice.
Challenging reads
Of the books she has read for Well-Read Mom, Ms. Evans re-
out no one was reading quality literature and neither was I.”
Marcie had home-schooled her seven children and even started a cooperative academy, St. Joseph’s.
“So that’s where I was really acquainted with good literature: The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Aeneid, The Confessions of St. Augustine,” she recalled.
She didn’t want to lay one more project on these busy mothers. But Beth’s desire for connection and Marcie’s desire for reading generated an idea.
“Why don’t we commit to reading some good books together?”
she suggested to her daughter. “You invite some friends, and I’ll invite some of my friends.”
Her daughter-in-law said, “Well if we’re going to do something for women it should be beautiful.” So they designed a postcard. “Reading great and worthy books from
the Western and Catholic tradition” was their first tagline.
The first group met in Marcie’s home. The discussion was lively. The project quickly took off—but how to organize it?
Marcie was reading Pope John Paul II’s “Letter to Women.”
“He was saying thank you to various groups of women: Thank you women who work who are daughters, who are mothers, who are contemplatives. He listed all these capacities that women have. That was my answer!”
She created a five-year book list, making stacks on her living room floor and organizing the reading around various capacities of women. They’ve read “The Year of the Worker” and “The Year of the Pilgrim.”
“The reading schedule has to work in a woman’s life, and with the routine and rhythm of the year. We read short stories during the
calls fondly one that was deeply challenging.
Wit by Margaret Edson probably had the greatest impact on me. Like many of the Well-Read Mom books, it inspires us to think about how we should live our lives and motivates us to contemplate the value of earthly things knowing death is inevitable,” she shared.
For Ms. Gouge, a longer read about a woman’s life full of mistakes, lessons learned, and growth has stayed with her.
“I think Kristin Lavransdatter has probably impacted me the most, because it’s about a Catholic wife and mother who makes some wrong choices but ultimately gets back on the path of God’s will, despite many hardships. It’s inspiring to me in my vocation of wife and mother and my own set of hardships.”
“The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom has had a profound impact on me,” recalled Ms. Barnette. “I
pray for the kind of joy she displayed in the face of unimaginable pain and suffering. Her story is a testament to how God offers comfort and strength in every situation, and it’s a beautiful reminder that no one can take God away from your heart.”
Though in different places with different members, the women involved in the Well-Read Mom groups all appreciate their experiences and the profound impact the groups have had on them.
“I’m honored to be part of a group with such faith-filled and inspiring women,” Ms. Barnette said. “Being a member has made me a better mom, not only because I’m prioritizing reading and modeling that for my daughter, but also because our discussions often touch on our experiences of motherhood. We encourage and support each other in our vocations, and it’s a true blessing to be surrounded by
holiday months. We have a spiritual classic during the Advent and Lenten seasons. It’s not a Catholic group per se, but we look at literature through the lens of what’s good, true, and beautiful,” Marcie said. Janel Lewandowski, Marcie’s sister-in-law and the director of member relations, has been on board since the first meeting.
“We do have online groups, but we encourage meeting in person, locally. Mostly through word of mouth, we now have groups in every state, as well as Canada, Italy, Kenya, Spain, Australia, and Ireland. We put together beautiful resources with quality writing, graphics, and artwork. We produce an annual reading companion and a monthly audio guide. With busy mothers in mind, it’s very plug-and-play,” Janel said
Since all the groups stay together in their reading, ensuring the availability of a sufficient number of books has become a work in itself
They’ve brought titles back into print: Rumer Godden’s In This House of Brede; Servant of God Dorothy Day’s book on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Therese
A basic membership comes out to just over $4 a month. There’s only one rule: If you weren’t able to read or finish the book for any given month, don’t apologize, and come to the meeting anyway.
Notes Marcie: “It’s non-threatening. Women see the depth and the generosity. My own group has a range—agnostic, Lutheran, Catholic.”
“This one group member was waiting in line at the post office. She started chatting with another woman and invited her to the meeting. After the fifth time, the ‘new’ woman said, ‘Wait a minute, are you Catholic?’ She went around the room. ‘So, practically everyone here is Catholic? Because I hate Catholics. But I like all of you.’”
Along with the group, that woman read books like John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop, and Charles Dickens’ Hard Times
Five years ago she came into the Church ■
such love and wisdom.”
“Taking on the challenge of reading these books has led to deep conversations and shared intimacy as we approach our lives as mothers,” according to Ms. Evans. “Not all of the moms in our group are Catholic, including my co-leader, and since these books invite us to observe our faith through the eyes of a variety of characters facing all kinds of dilemmas, obstacles, joys, and grief, we are able to approach conversations about faith in an open and loving way. Well-Read Mom opens a door inviting women in to connect and build community through a shared faith in God.”
Some women have even found that participating in Well-Read Mom has helped them become more connected to the body of Christ outside of their specific communities.
Mrs. Maeng recounted an experience she had while traveling. “I met a woman on a swamp tour in New Orleans who made a reference to St. Francis, and we realized we were both in Well-Read Mom. We had the most delightful conversation about St. Francis and Steinbeck and raising kids and books!”
“Well-Read Mom has been a huge blessing in my life,” Ms. Evans said, “and has pushed me to a better understanding of my faith and a stronger connection to an amazing group of women that I cherish!” Active groups throughout the diocese can be found through the “Find Your Community” tab on the Well-Read Mom website, wellreadmom.com, as well as more information about the organization and how you can start your own Well-Read Mom chapter for your parish or community. ■
Circle of (well-read) friends A Well-Read Mom group serving the Knoxville area that is led by Nina Gouge, who is an All Saints parishioner.
The Stokman girls Above: Marcie Stokman, center, is shown with her two daughters, Beth and Margaret. Below: Ms. Stokman, left, participates in a Well-Read Mom planning meeting with co-workers of the Minnesotabased international book-club organization.
Quoting Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, “Sacrifice without love is pain. Pain with love is sacrifice,” Mr. Simoneau said he believes that quote is a key element in any discussion about the mystery of human suffering.
“To the degree that we lose a sense of the sacred, we lose a sense of sacrifice, and vice versa,” Mr. Simoneau said. “In 1965, Pope Paul VI gave this address and said, ‘You are brothers and sisters of the suffering Christ, and with Him, if you wish, you are saving the world.’”
He continued, saying the mystery of human suffering is the central narrative to redemption, when Christ was made flesh and took on fallen humanity and redeemed His people through His suffering and Passion on the cross.
“Sometimes God’s mysteries are just profound. And the mystery of suffering is one of them,” Mr. Simoneau said.
He cited Gaudium et spes, one of four key documents from the Second Vatican Council, and a quote from that document that stated, “In the face of death, the riddle of human existence grows most acute. Through Christ and in Christ, the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful. Apart from His Gospel, they overwhelm us.”
“How so very true. And of course, today, especially with euthanasia and the culture of death, the temptation is to flee the cross, isn’t it? Come down off that cross. Eugenics and euthanasia are Greek words for good birth and good death. Isn’t that what
evil does? It calls good evil and evil good. And yet we have proponents out there for abortion, eugenics, selective pregnancies, and designer babies, but also euthanasia and assisted suicide.”
According to Mr. Simoneau, exploring the mystery of human suffering through the guidance of Church teaching greatly helps in better understanding the complexities of endof-life decisions.
He also cited St. John Paul II, who wrote an apostolic letter on the mystery of human suffering shortly after the 1981 assassination attempt on his life, as well as Pope Benedict XVI before he was elected pope.
“John Paul said in his World Day of the Sick message in 1994, ‘Always look trustingly toward Jesus, the suffering servant, and ask Him for
the strength to transform the trial afflicting you into a gift.’ And then Pope Benedict, writing as Cardinal Ratzinger, said, ‘The world is saved, not by the sword of conquerors, but by the sword of those who suffer,’” Mr. Simoneau said. “Our weakness becomes the power of God if we offer it up.”
“Every person has a share in the redemption. Each one of us is called to share in that suffering of Christ. Bringing about redemption through suffering, Christ has raised human suffering to the level of redemption. Thus, each person in their suffering can become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ,” he added.
Mr. Simoneau took issue with ideologies and movements in medical care rooted in evil, such as the increasingly popular ideology that
growing older is substandard and senior citizens are a bane on society. To counter those notions, he cited the wisdom and faith of St. Teresa of Calcutta.
“St. Teresa said, ‘Suffering will never be completely absent from our lives, so don’t be afraid of suffering. Your suffering is a great means of love if you make use of it, especially if you offer it for peace in the world. Suffering in and of itself is useless. But suffering that is shared with the Passion of Christ is a wonderful gift and a sign of love.’ I love that. I get so motivated every time I read that. And it is so true.
“Our sufferings do not make us worthless. Our quality of life does not suffer because of what we can’t do that we used to be able to do. That is the biggest lie that is pushed on us by those who promote euthanasia, making us think that our quality of life depends on whether or not we can jump 3 feet in the air and kick our legs up and put our hands up like you see in some of these advertisements. It is the biggest lie that Satan has introduced into our society, that we are useless as we get older,” Mr. Simoneau said. He underscored that suffering has purpose.
Understanding the end of life
Mr. Simoneau, who has certification in Catholic bioethics to complement his master’s degree in theology, then segued into the medical and legal aspects of end-of-life decisions.
“To really approach the decisions
End of life continued on page A22
An engaged audience More than 70 people attended the end-of-life seminar at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery to learn about making sanctity of life-affirming decisions for those nearing death.
BILL BREWER
as far as medication, to take too much, but because our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made and are always striving for life, I vomited that all up.”
Mrs. Salchert said after surviving the attempt, she decided that ending life to end suffering “was off the table” because it contradicted God. “The worst was yet to come,” but she resolved to learn how to deal with the extreme difficulties, especially knowing she would not be as productive as she wanted to be.
Wayne Smith came to the same realization after trying to end his own life 32 years ago by jumping into Lake Michigan on a gray, cold, winter day in Chicago. He spoke at the first of a series of public hearings on the bills in Chicago on Feb. 21 and expressed gratitude for the life God gave him.
Mr. Smith said he was grateful for converting to Catholicism, where he met his “beautiful wife” and learned the value and “beauty of life.”
Mr. Smith, 80, was a legally blind photographer whose degenerative eye condition would worsen to inevitable blindness and effectively end a successful career. Used to a fast lifestyle, Mr. Smith spiraled into deep depression.
He explained that he tried hard to empty his lungs and submerge himself several times, but each time he opened his mouth he did not take in any of Lake Michigan’s icy waters. Frustrated, Mr. Smith, who was Jewish but called himself an atheist at the time, left.
Months later, after having therapy, Mr. Smith still contemplated another suicide attempt while sitting on the front steps of his home.
“A man was passing by and he said, ‘When I’m in trouble, I ask God for help,'” Mr. Smith said.
End of life continued from page A21
that we must make, especially as we’re nearing the end of life, if we don’t have a good appreciation of the mystery of human suffering, we can be tempted to make some very terrible decisions,” he said.
He explained that many people are comfortable and satisfied when they get a living will that spells out their wishes on withdrawing nutrition and hydration. And he noted there are options that can lead someone to believe they don’t want to suffer unnecessarily and prolong the dying process, which can prompt choices that are spiritually problematic.
Mr. Simoneau reminded the group that Catholics, based on Church teaching, are stewards of their lives, which means the faithful do not have absolute dominion over their lives.
He said it’s important to emphasize that food and water for the seriously ill and those who are dying are not considered medical treatment but are part of ordinary care, as is keeping a person clean and dry.
“The duty to preserve life is not absolute. We do have options. We can decline extraordinary and disproportionate means of preserving life,” he said. “Quality of life is not the decisive factor in determining use or non-use of medical means to sustain life. High technology focused strictly on the body offers limited hope for healing the whole person.”
He stressed that people should always be asking Mary, the mother of God, for the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, fear of the Lord, and piety.
“But we should also be asking for prudence, to really have that wisdom and understanding to discern things. To do so, we need to call upon the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit,” Mr. Simoneau shared.
He pointed out that euthanasia, which means “good death,” is a message that increasingly is being forced upon the public. He said it equates a patient’s dignity with the ability to live a life of value and quality.
“It sounds good, but when you start drilling down into it, the message is being forced upon you more and more with some of these medical decisions,” he said. “Pope Francis, from his World Day of the Sick message 10 years ago, said, ‘How great a lie lurks behind certain phrases, which so insist on the importance of quality of life that they make people think that their lives affected by grave illness are not worth living.”
To treat or not to treat Mr. Simoneau said no doctor in the world can provide a foolproof, one-size-fits-all list of qualifications for treating or not treating a patient. “Potential benefits and burdens
“And he kept going. Well, I had never believed that. My real belief was either there is no God or that He certainly doesn’t have any interest in helping me. But at this point, everything else was pointless, so I got on the bus … to Temple Shalom.”
Mr. Smith said after convincing the guard to let him in to pray, he sat down not knowing what to do and simply asked God to help him. Then he waited, thinking a bright light would pierce the ceiling and he would hear the voice of God.
But “nothing,” he said. “So, I decided that either God doesn’t exist, or He isn’t going to help me. So, I grabbed my cane and walked out of the temple, got out onto the street, and within seconds I went from total despair to absolute joy. I mean, I just started shouting out loud, ‘Yes, there is a God and I am Jewish!’ And I went skipping down the street.”
Mr. Smith said he could not explain what happened, nor his newfound sense of innerknowing. But what followed was a four-year conversion to the Catholic faith at a parish where he said he became a staunch pro-life advocate. Using his white cane while praying outside abortion clinics helped project a non-threatening presence, and he was able to talk women and couples out of aborting their unborn children.
In 2020, Mr. Smith had another brush with death. Doctors told him there was nothing more they could do after 50 days in the hospital for a severe case of COVID-19. He received last rites, then on the day his wife went to the hospital to say her final goodbye, he got well, which the couple attributed to a miracle. Mr. Smith now runs a nonprofit website that seeks to accompany people through life’s difficulties.
Mrs. Salchert, too, became heavily involved in
pro-life work. In 2012, after entering a treatment program in Mexico for chronic and degenerative illnesses, her inflammation issues were significantly reduced, and she managed the symptoms better. Months later, she was able to realize a dream, since her early obstetric hospice nursing days, of fostering children who were targeted for abortion because of medically complex illnesses and short life expectancies.
The Salcherts took on a terminally ill newborn who lived for 50 days, and then more children came. They have, so far, fostered nine children, adopting five of those, three of whom have passed away. The two living are Charlie, 10, who was not expected to live beyond 2, and Kassidy, 5, whom doctors expected would die within five months of birth.
Throughout the difficulties of her illness, which was finally diagnosed and treated in 2020, Mrs. Salchert said her husband helped her recognize that if she was not so debilitated and consequently placed on disability, she would neither have been able to care for the fragile children, nor be with them in their final days.
Mrs. Salchert, while accompanying her seriously ill children, is also caring for her recently ill mother and her husband who is being treated for stage three prostate cancer. She reflected on God’s action in the midst of life’s difficulties
“His working them for good will take our small views of inconvenience and suffering, and create a deeper empathy; create a deeper compassion; create more patience and tenacity than you would have if everything was hunky-dory,” she said. ■
"That’s why it is dangerous to select in a living will the removal of nutrition and hydration. All they are going to do is give you lots of palliative care because you are going to be so uncomfortable and in pain, not to mention what it does to you psychologically and mentally. It’s going to be brutal."
Paul Simoneau, Diocese of Knoxville
change according to time and a patient’s condition. It requires an honest, prayerful discernment. Again, invoke the Holy Spirit. Benefits are health benefits and the hope they offer. Burdens are to the patient primarily, but they do extend to the family as well,” he observed.
Burdens can include pain, psychological factors, and expense.
Mr. Simoneau was quick to point out that benefits and burdens only apply to treatment, not the decision whether to continue life with the illness. “Burdensome treatment does not equate to a burdensome life.”
Ethical religious directives offer patients and their families a faithbased guide to advance directives, such as identifying ahead of time someone to make health-care decisions as a surrogate. That individual should be someone who shares an understanding of the Catholic faith and Church teaching.
Obligatory versus optional treatment
Mr. Simoneau said it is important to look at medical science and how it has progressed.
“That which defines ordinary means is always going to be in the judgment of the patient, not the doctor or anyone else. In the judgment of the patient, the ordinary means is one that offers reasonable hope of benefit,” he pointed out. “It does not entail excessive burden to a patient or a patient’s family, and it does not impose excessive expense to the family or community.”
An important point that he singled out is that extraordinary and disproportionate treatment is optional if the foreseen burdens exceed the benefits that can reasonably be expected.
“Looking at assisted nutrition and hydration, the Gospel mandate to give drink to the thirsty and food to the hungry exists even in health care. It is not medical treatment. Even though it may be administered in a medical way, it is considered ordinary care, which is differentiated from treatment,” Mr. Simoneau explained.
He observed that some people unknowingly sign a living will by checking the box that says remove nutrition and hydration. Starvation, in most cases, is not considered appropriate care. An exception to nutrition and hydration for a patient is if the patient can’t assimilate the
nourishment.
“That’s why it is dangerous to select in a living will the removal of nutrition and hydration. All they are going to do is give you lots of palliative care because you are going to be so uncomfortable and in pain, not to mention what it does to you psychologically and mentally. It’s going to be brutal,” Mr. Simoneau said.
He underscored the importance of maintaining a good relationship with the physicians treating the patient, and he stressed the importance of all family members being in agreement about treatment.
He shared that the National Catholic Bioethics Center (ncbcenter. org) can be invaluable in navigating end-of-life questions.
Uncertainty, confusion, and guilt are common factors in dealing with an end-of-life decision, which is why accurate information and agreement are critical.
“When it becomes clear that life support is no longer providing any benefit to the patient, or that the burdens exceed the few benefits to the patient, a decision can be made to withdraw life support,” Mr. Simoneau said. “That should come as consolation to all of us that if you have been intubated and there is a point where you are in the end stage of dying, and it’s providing no benefit, just prolonging the process, you can withdraw life support.”
He noted that the Ethical Religious Directive states that the terminally ill have a right to die in total serenity with Christian dignity.
The faith-based, spiritual part of an end-of-life decision is key to making the wise, accurate choice. And as part of that decision, it is critical to notify a priest, who can administer viaticum and anoint the patient to prepare them for the journey toward heaven.
He said the Church teaches that a patient should be kept as free of pain as possible so they can die comfortably, with dignity, at a place of their choosing. But he cautioned against depriving a patient of consciousness using pain medication.
He stressed the importance of patients’ family members recognizing the balance needed in managing pain but not over-medicating, which can deprive patients of consciousness. He said a patient should be encouraged to request pain medication, and family members or health-care proxies should be aware of a pa-
tient’s propensity to flee from pain. Conversely, he pointed out, if an illness results in excessive pain, it is morally permissible to provide a patient more pain medication than standard dosages may recommend “to help that person get to a point where the pain isn’t overwhelming.”
He said the Church prescribes that even if there is an unintended consequence of shortening the life of someone who is gravely ill, it is permissible to relieve the pain.
Deacon Bob Hunt, who serves at All Saints and Holy Ghost parishes in Knoxville and also is a registered nurse, answered a question on whether advance directives can be amended or updated, saying directives can always be changed, even at the moment of death.
He said a patient’s will always overrides previously stated advance directives.
“If you can express them (your wishes) yourself, or your surrogate can express them, that overrides any POLST. I don’t know of a doctor in the world who is going to follow a POLST when a patient or a surrogate says, ‘I’ve changed my mind. Don’t do that,’” Deacon Hunt said, citing legal concerns.
Mr. Simoneau related a personal experience where he was managing the care of his elderly father, who was in the hospital toward the end of his life.
Mr. Simoneau explained that hospital representatives placed a POLST form pertaining to his father in front of him and told him he needed to sign it. Mr. Simoneau had never seen such a form and was unfamiliar with its contents.
The POLST form is akin to a living will and expresses end-of-life care. It is signed by a physician and transfers with the patient. Another physician would have to abide by it.
“Looking at it, I couldn’t translate what I was looking at, so I wrote in big letters along the margin because there was no place to write anything ‘Presume in favor of artificial nutrition and hydration.’ I want to at least have that in there,” he recalled.
One attendee shared that people caring for loved ones tend not to think well and are stressed out in these emotionally charged situations involving end-of-life questions and decisions.
Mr. Simoneau urged seminar attendees and everyone to be prepared with proper documentation that is well thought out and hopefully conforms to Church teaching to serve as an advance directive.
“We can’t predict where we’re going to be. But at least our fallback is on these documents and the teachings of the Church,” Mr. Simoneau said. “They state that the patient just wants to be treated the way the Church teaches, treated the way the Church tells us we should be treated in medical situations.” ■
vice chancellor and director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace
Appalachia.
‘God has sent me to bring the good news to the poor’
The pastoral was released on Feb. 1, 1975, at Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University), with the intention to be read and shared during the Lenten period. Like 2025, 1975 was a year of Jubilee in the Church. “This Land is Home to Me” was partially a response to the Jubilee’s theme of reconciliation and repentance, calling attention to injustices and seeking new paths forward.
CCA executive director John Barry wrote, “The region is extensive; the problems and challenges are many. We can trust the Lord to help us all be the Church in response to the world’s needs.”
“This Land is Home to Me” is organized into three parts. Throughout the pastoral, the bishops lay a framework for addressing people’s social, economic, and environmental needs.
A unique feature of the pastoral is its style. The document does not read like a typical ecclesial document but rather follows a free-verse style, reading almost like poetry. This is meant to represent the influence of the voices of the people and lead readers to digest the words in a more reflective manner.
“Part I: The land and its people” gives a brief history of Appalachia and its history of extractive resources, particularly coal. The bishops are critical of corporate entities that see massive profits while damaging the land and underpaying labor.
They say:
“It’s strange, for instance, that despite earlier reforms, a country which took such richness from Appalachia left so little for the people. Great fortunes were built on the exploitation of Appalachian workers and Appalachian resources; yet the land was left without revenues to care for its social needs, like • education, • welfare, • old age, • and illness.”
“Part II: The answer of Jesus & His Church” presents God’s love for the poor and downtrodden and offers hope through the words of Scripture. The bishops explain that the Church’s mission is to share the message of Christ the Messiah. They also challenge the faithful to embrace what is good and reject what is evil and to stand up for the poor and marginalized while rejecting destructiveness and injustice.
They say:
“God has challenged us to take up as holy whatever is good and beautiful in the modern world as in all of creation. But has also challenged us to resist what is evil, especially injustice.”
They name inefficiency and waste, insufficient incomes for a majority of wage earners, and unnecessarily large incomes of a few as “grievous abuses.”
The pastoral highlights the Church’s long stance of standing with workers’ rights and dignity, from Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum through Pope Paul VI’s Populorum Progressio
The bishops say: “Thus, there must be no doubt, that we, who must speak the message of God who summoned Moses, and whose mouth was opened in Jesus of Nazareth, and who keeps the Spirit alive on behalf of justice for so many centuries, can only become advocates of the poor. This is not to be simplistic, to see all in black and white, to be ignorant of economics and the contributions of other human sciences,
and Union counties. The food bank was a ministry of Christ the King Parish in Tazewell.
but in a profound sense the choices are simple and stark:
• death or life;
• injustice or justice;
• idolatry or the Living God. We must choose life. We must choose justice. We must choose the Living God.”
“Part III: Facing the future: A process of dialogue and testing” looks at how the Church and society can address the needs of the people of Appalachia. The bishops lay out three guiding principles for moving forward: closeness to the people, careful use of scientific resources, and a steeping in the Spirit.
The bishops ask the CCA to work on a plan of action going forward, looking into such issues as energy consumption, land acquisition, tourism industries, occupational health and safety, union reform, community organizing, education, family life, music and poetry, and prayer. They also recommended the establishment of “centers of reflection and prayer” throughout the region.
The bishops close the pastoral with a call for further dialogue where “the Catholic community can join together with all people of good will through the region to reflect and act for a more just society.”
Finally, they acknowledge that while “This Land is Home to Me” focuses on previous exploitation and a theme of powerlessness, there is hope that old wounds might be healed, injustices righted, and a new vision presented that centers on human dignity.
They say:
Caring for God's creation
A man in Naoma, W. Va., is seen near a mountaintop removal coal mine on Kayford Mountain in this archive photo from Aug. 19, 2014. The Catholic Committee of Appalachia, a membershipbased organization, has served Appalachia, the poor, and creation since 1970. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the pastoral letter “This Land is Home to Me,” which was signed by 24 bishops whose dioceses covered the Appalachian region. The pastoral letter was released on Feb. 1, 1975, at Wheeling College, a private Catholic school in West Virginia.
“Despite the theme of powerlessness, we know that Appalachia is already rich here in the cooperative power of its own people. We note with joy the renewed zeal for the presence of the Spirit in prayer and meditation among our Catholic people. We know that if this renewed presence can mature into a convergence with the thirst for justice, a new Pentecost will truly be upon us.”
While the pastoral addressed the specific situations and needs of Appalachia, it also presents the universal messages of the Gospel and the Church’s social teaching.
The bishops say: “It is the mountain’s spirit of resistance which must be defended at any cost, for at stake is the spirit of all our humanity. There are too few spaces of soul left in our lives.”
Legacy 50 years on
The pastoral’s reach goes far beyond the region’s borders, reflecting the Church’s universal social teaching of life, human dignity, and upholding that which is good and beautiful.
Although the pastoral may not be well-known to the average person
in the pew, theologians and scholars have praised its approach, style, and content as an exemplary document. The pastoral’s collaborative model influenced future Church pastoral plans and documents in the United States. In 1977, Church historian David J. O’Brien called it “the finest of contemporary American documents on social justice,” which aimed “to highlight a need, touch the conscience, [and] call all persons to action.”
On the 20th anniversary of “This Land is Home to Me” in 1995, the Appalachian bishops released a second pastoral letter, “At Home in the Web of Life.” This pastoral focused on the environmental destruction in Appalachia and the Church’s response. It celebrated the progress made in the 20 years since “This Land is Home to Me” was published, citing the work of religious and lay communities in fostering sustainable living and outreach.
Marcus Keyes, who founded and led the Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Justice-Peace-Integrity of Creation (JPIC), served as one of the editors for this pastoral letter.
On the 40th anniversary of “This Land is Home to Me” in 2015, CCA released a “people’s pastoral,” “The Telling Takes Us Home.” This pastoral addressed updated needs of the region while maintaining the mission of working “toward greater justice, peace, and wholeness for our communities and for creation.”
The Catholic Committee of Appalachia still operates out of central Appalachia today. Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., of the Diocese of Lexington, Ky., serves as its episcopal adviser. The CCA supports people of faith in working for social, economic, and ecological justice in the region. According to the CCA website, ccappal.org, the organization stands with and challenges “the Church to do the work of the Gospel and exemplify Catholic social teachings.”
The CCA offers educational programs on environmental and social issues in Appalachia and promotes Catholic social teaching in the region. Fifty years on, “This Land is Home to Me” still resonates in its concern for the poor and marginalized and its message of God’s love for them. The bishops’ call for social justice and ecological sustainability is an ongoing one, which the faithful have responded to in a variety of places, eras, and situations.
“This Land is Home to Me” is a compelling document in understanding Appalachia as a unique region and the Church’s response to care for Appalachia’s people and land.
“Even so, we know that our words are not perfect. For that reason, this letter is but one part of an unfinished conversation • with our people • with the truth of Appalachia • with the Living God. Yet we still dare to speak, and speak strongly, first, because we trust our people and we know that those who belong to The Lord truly wish to do God’s will; and second, because we believe that the cry of the poor is also a message of hope, a promise from Jesus, that there can be a better way, for Jesus has told us, The Truth will make you free (John 8:32).” ■
Banking on coal
A train carries coal near Ravenna, Ky., in this archive photo from Aug. 21, 2014. Coal mining has been an economic staple in this region of the country. The Catholic Committee of Appalachia’s 2015 people's pastoral said, "Studies have confirmed higher rates of depression in the coalfields, often related to this loss of place. People of faith would be right to consider this grief a kind of spiritual death."
Serving the hungry The Claiborne Hunger Ministry in Tazewell was a community food bank serving the Appalachia areas bounded by Claiborne, Hancock, Campbell,
STEPHANIE RICHER
CATHOLIC
the place.
“They have come to visit a historic place, which had to be seen, given its notoriety. But in the course of the visit, they are surprised by metaphysical questions that sometimes touch explicitly on faith,” Bishop Tois said.
When asked about criticism by Alain-Marc Plasman in the French Catholic newspaper La Croix that the cathedral “locked in its status as a monument … loses its primary function,” Bishop Tois said that “Notre Dame has been offering visitors works that speak of God for 900 years, and that intrigues them.”
He explained that “visits do not stop during Masses and liturgical services. Visitors are interested in what is going on. They are respectful. They lower their voices and watch. They see that this heritage has been handed down and is still alive today. Many are impressed.”
“The cathedral is always full, whatever the time, and it is true that when you enter it, you can be surprised by the noise and tourist bustle there,” Bishop Tois said.
“It is also true that many visitors are moved by the aesthetic beauty of the cathedral, just as one might be when visiting a fi ne museum,” the auxiliary bishop added.
For Mathieu Lours, too, the “his-
Pope continued from page A12
torical density” of Notre Dame, which attracts the crowds, is not in contradiction with the landmark ’ s religious life.
“As for the crowd of visitors who pass through the doors of the cathedral, how does their presence interfere with the spiritual life of the building?” the architecture historian asked in La Croix
“Its openness to all is rather a guarantee of its vitality,” Mr. Lours
As people were praying at the hospital, Matteo Bruni, director of Vatican press office, confirmed that Cardinal Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the substitute for general affairs in the secretariat, had paid their second visit to the pope in the hospital.
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, led the rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis’ extended hospitalization and care is a reminder that every human being, especially the frail or elderly, must be given proper care, said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.
“What I would hope is that what we do for the pope we must do for everybody, for all the elderly, for all those who are alone, for all the abandoned,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a news conference at the Vatican on March 3.
The pope “is exercising an extraordinary magisterium on frailty. Not with words, but with his body,” said the archbishop, who turns 80 in April.
“The pope is reminding every one of us, all people, starting with us elderly, that we are all frail and therefore we must take care of each other,” the archbishop added.
The pope’s guarded prognosis means he will remain in the hospital indefinitely, especially given the respiratory crises and the supplemental oxygen and non-invasive mechanical ventilation.
The archbishop was asked about the Catholic Church’s position on medical treatment and care, a teaching that holds that it is not licit to suspend treatments that are required to maintain essential life functions as long as the body can benefit from them, while it is licit to renounce aggressive treatments or disproportionate medical procedures that provide only a precarious or painful extension of life.
How does the Church’s position apply to a pope, the reporter asked. “What would happen?” “The pontiff is a person like every believer, so we say that even when someone cannot be cured, one must always provide care,” the archbishop said.
A pope would follow the same “path” for all Christians, he added, recalling Pope Francis’ support of the cessation of aggressive treatments in his speech to European members of the World Medical Association in 2017.
The pope had said that people who are dying must be accompanied by loved ones and the care of medical professionals, but there is no requirement that every means available must be used to prolong their lives.
“Even if we know that we cannot always guarantee healing or a cure, we can and must always care for the living, without ourselves shortening their life, but also without futilely resisting their death,” the pope had said.
Archbishop Paglia was asked what the pope meant by feeling “blessed” in his written Angelus message on March 2 when he said he felt “in my heart the ‘blessing’ that is hidden within frailty because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord.”
The pope feels the support of so many people’s prayers, the archbishop said. And it would be beautiful if every man and woman who was hurting could feel the same kind of support from people’s prayers “and not, as is often the case, abandoned and eliminated.” ■
within a tabernacle placed on the high altar. Every visitor, every faithful now understands—or at least has the intuition—that the center of the cathedral is this inaccessible space. … It is the very definition of the sacred that he experiences here.”
Bishop Tois agreed.
“From the outset, the Archdiocese of Paris has endeavored to welcome both pilgrims—who know they are pilgrims—and other visitors,” he said.
“That’s why we don’t charge admission to the cathedral. We must not separate pilgrims from other visitors. People enter Notre Dame with many different approaches. There are those who have a very lively faith and those who are conscious of not having faith,” he continued.
wrote. “How could a cathedral, in today’s world, be a place of conversion if it only attracts the convinced? Crowds are the hallmark of great sanctuaries. And the Church must take up the challenge of maintaining, despite everything, the dignity that is due to them.”
He also pointed out that Notre Dame Cathedral is a witness to the living faith with the Blessed Sacrament that “has found its place
“But between the two, there is a whole margin of people who are neither on one side nor the other, and who, moreover, do not want to be lumped into one side or the other. But they are receptive when they enter the cathedral and can open up to an unexpected encounter,” the auxiliary bishop noted. He concluded: “Many are likely to let themselves be touched by a visit to Notre Dame, even if they fi rst entered it simply as tourists. I am a witness to that.” ■
Congregation control French riot police patrol as people wait in line to visit Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Dec. 27 after it reopened on Dec. 7 following its restoration from a devastating 2019 fire.
OSV NEWS PHOTO/GONZALO FUENTES, REUTERS
‘ Don ’ t leave your faith at the door ’ Bishop Barron delivers message to Catholics working in Congress
By Tessa Gervasini Catholic News Agency
Bishop Robert Barron during his visit to the nation’s capital this month to attend President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress called on Catholic politicians to bring their faith into the public square.
“EWTN News Nightly Capitol Hill correspondent Erik Rosales sat down with Bishop Barron for an interview before the bishop celebrated Mass in the Capitol for lawmakers on March 4 ahead of the address.
Bishop Barron, the founder of the nonprofit global media apostolate Word on Fire, shared with EWTN his message to Catholics serving in Congress: “Don’t leave your faith at the door.”
“We don’t impose the faith. [Pope] John Paul [II] always said, ‘We don’t impose, we propose.’ But they should bring their faith into the public square,” Bishop Barron continued.
“It’s not the case that we’re to sequester faith simply into the privacy of our conscience. No, it’s a public reality, and it should inform the decisions that they make here,” he said.
Bishop Barron is one of the most well-known American bishops, with more than 1.8 million followers on his YouTube channel, where he discusses faith and culture, often touching on politics.
The bishop from the Diocese of WinonaRochester, Minn., who serves as chair of the U.S.
continued from page A11
height and weight in children.
In June 2024, UNICEF said that growing inequality, conflict, and climate concerns—along with the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic—have left 181 million, or one in four, children in severe food poverty, with the majority living in 20 countries. Of those, 64 million are in South Asia, and 59 million in sub-Saharan Africa.
Yet at the same time, “governments around the world, including our own, appear to be reducing their commitment to address” hunger, Mr. O’Keefe said.
Reflecting on the initiative’s milestone anniversary, he pointed to the historic connections between Rice Bowl and the Eucharist.
The campaign, launched in 1975 by Monsignor Robert Coll as a local effort in the Diocese
Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, was invited to the joint session of Congress by Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia.
During the interview, Bishop Barron said he hoped to “just take in the beauty of the event.”
“I was graciously invited here by Rep. Moore from West Virginia. I’m a student of American history, and I’ve been watching these addresses for many years,” he said.
“Just the chance to be in the chamber and to hear the president, see the whole government assemble. All that was attractive to me, so I accepted the invitation,” Bishop Barron added.
Earlier this year, the media apostolate an-
of Allentown, Pa., became a national initiative through its introduction at the Philadelphiabased 41st International Eucharistic Congress in 1976, and its subsequent adoption by the U.S. bishops through Catholic Relief Services.
“This is the year in which we are following up on our own eucharistic revival here in the U.S., where we reflected on the hunger in our own spirit for Jesus in the Eucharist and on our responsibilities to take the love that’s been given to us and share it with others,” Mr. O’Keefe said, referencing both the July 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis and the three-year National Eucharistic Revival, a grassroots effort led by the U.S. Catholic bishops to kindle renewed devotion to the Real Presence of Christ.
He added, “Now more than ever, Rice Bowl as a vehicle for focusing our Lent on helping those
nounced plans to establish a new order of Word on Fire priests. During the “EWTN News Nightly” interview, Mr. Rosales asked Bishop Barron what he hopes this order will bring to the Church
“I just think the needful thing today in the Church is this outreach to the unaffiliated,”
Bishop Barron responded. “I think it’s the central problem we have, is the number, especially of young people, who are disaffiliating from the Church.”
“A lot of my ministry has been focused on that—to appeal through truth and beauty, to bring the great tradition forward, and to try to draw people back to the Church,” he said.
“What I didn’t want was this ministry simply to end with me. I thought, I want it to go on after I’m gone. Could there be an order, I wondered, that would carry on this charism of using the media in an intelligent way, in a beautiful way, reaching out to the unaffiliated?” he said.
The interview wrapped up with a discussion of Pope Francis and the bishop’s thoughts on the Holy Father’s health battle.
“We’ve been praying for him for the last now almost three weeks he’s been in the hospital. So, it’s been a pretty dicey time, and we’ve been following the news and accompanying him with our prayers,” he said.
“Just praying for him and hoping that he can recover and get back to his mission,” Bishop Barron concluded. ■
around the world who are hungry, and in the midst of growing need, (has) … never been more fit for purpose in our spiritual life, and in the life of God’s people around the world.”
Mr. O’Keefe also said that “Catholics are concerned about needs in the United States and about needs around the world,” and that “in many ways, Catholics express that we are not Americans alone. We are part of a global family.”
“Standing behind every one of our CRS workers, there are millions of Catholics who care and are basically saying by their actions, ‘This is important,’” he continued. “And I think it’s extremely motivating for them (CRS workers) to know that Catholics are praying, fasting, and giving alms this Lenten season on the (Rice Bowl) 50th anniversary in order to make sure this critical assistance to people who need it continues.” ■
CRS
Faithful advocate Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minn., speaks with “EWTN News Nightly” on March 4.
David Anthony Patterson departed the world he loved on Feb. 23, one day shy of his 95th birthday. Rita Ann Holtzapfel Patterson, his beloved wife of 72 years, left to join him the very next day, on Feb. 24, possibly because she didn’t trust the angels to bake him a birthday cake that met her high standards as the namesake of Rita’s Bakery in Knoxville.
Known as Dave by his Knoxville friends and acquaintances and Tony by friends and family in their hometown of Ironton, Ohio, Mr. Patterson was a bright light of love, compassion, generosity, and humor. Rita, a mere 4-feet, 9-inches tall at her zenith, was known for her talents, beautiful smile, sense of style, and enviable cooking and baking skills.
Mr. Patterson was a U.S. Navy veteran with service in Hawaii and Korea. He received his economics doctorate from Indiana University and moved Mrs. Patterson and their five children to Knoxville 60 years ago for an assistant professorship at the University of Tennessee.
A long and illustrious career followed, including senior roles at TVA, the Tennessee Technology Foundation, the board of directors for the former St. Mary’s Hospital, and start-up assistance for numerous small businesses before he returned to UT for his final position as the head of the School of Planning and Architecture.
Mrs. Patterson served in numerous volunteer activities in the community, including support of the Fountain City ballpark, where Mr. Patterson coached girls softball, and local Catholic charities. In her later years, she helped her children establish Rita’s Bakery in Fountain City, sharing her wonderful recipes and continuing to frost cakes for numerous Knoxville celebrations.
Mr. and Mrs. Patterson enjoyed using the St. Mary’s Fitness Center to maintain their active lifestyle in their senior years, and Dave ran in nearly every Knoxville Track Club race for decades, collecting drawers full of event T-shirts, complaining about the “youngsters” beating him in the seniors division as he aged, and relishing an occasional stress test.
Mr. Patterson possessed a green thumb and loved nothing better than collecting a bouquet from the yard to present to his wife. Both sang in the choir and served in many ways at Holy Ghost Church, St. Joseph School, Knoxville Catholic High School, and the Ladies of Charity for decades. They also loved going to St. Albert the Great Church in Halls until infirmities prevented them from their near-daily attendance at Mass.
They collected and maintained numerous friendships and loved going with groups of their friends to hike Mount LeConte and vacation in Hatteras, N.C., annually for many years. Mr. Patterson was an avid fisherman and could surf fish for days (and nights) if the red drum and bluefish were running. Many good times and lots of healthy outdoor work were also had at Beulah Land and Trinity Farm, which they owned and worked jointly with friends.
The Pattersons are survived by their five children, David (Martha) Patterson, Greg (Nola) Patterson, Theresa (Kevin) Walsh, Monica Bailey, and Michael (Sara) Patterson; three grandchildren, Rose and Sara Ruther and Caitlin Patterson; three great-grandchildren, Sylv and Holly Webb and Fox Wilson; Mrs. Patterson’s siblings, Tiny Newman, Karen Neal, and Bob (Gail) Holtzapfel; and Mr. Patterson’s sister, MaryFaith Patterson; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. Special recognition and thanks are due for neighbors Benny and Katie Nelson, whose daily visits brightened their final years; helpers, Shawna, Susan, Paula, and Tracy; and the staff of Smoky Mountain Hospice, who supported the family in ensuring Mr. and Mrs. Patterson were able to remain in the home they loved until the end.
Donations in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Patterson may be made to Ladies of Charity, ladiesofcharityknox.org, and Alzheimer’s Association of Tennessee, www.alztennessee.org
A funeral Mass for Mr. and Mrs. Patterson was celebrated at Holy Ghost Church on March 3, with Father Chris Michelson serving as the celebrant and Father John Orr serving as the concelebrant. A burial service followed at Greenwood Cemetery.
Louis H. Huber Jr.
Louis Henry “Louie” Huber Jr. of Knoxville passed away on Jan. 31 at the age of 84.
Mr. Huber was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Agnes, brothers, Robert and Gene, and sisters, Mary Jane, Carolyn, and Rosalyn.
He is survived by his brother, Jim, and sisters, Peggy, Dorothy, and Susan; children, Richard (Debra), Louis “Chip” III (Alice), Craig (Stephanie), and John (Addie). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Philip, Thomas, Joseph, Harrison, Brady, Mary Claire, Cade, Abbey, Kelton, Davis, Wyatt, Lauren, and Lily.
Mr. Huber was the son of Louis and Hilda Huber and was born and raised in Knoxville. He attended Holy Ghost School and then Knoxville Catholic High School, where he met the love of his life, Mary Agnes White.
After attending Christian Brothers College in Memphis, Louis and Mary Agnes were married. Mr. Huber then spent a few years in Indiana and Illinois working for his father’s trucking company, Huber and Huber Motor Express.
The Hubers eventually returned to Knoxville, where Mr. Huber and his brother, Jim, founded the iconic Huber’s Car Wash on Magnolia Avenue.
Along the way Mr. and Mrs. Huber raised four boys. Mr. Huber was extremely proud to shepherd them through Knoxville Catholic High School and then see them all graduate from the University of Tennessee.
He was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Cathedral and then All Saints Parish.
Mr. Huber was a championship trap shooter and avid sportsman who enjoyed fi shing and hunting. He also was a lifelong member of Holston Hills Country Club, where he enjoyed golfi ng and socializing with his friends.
Mr. Huber died peacefully at his home surrounded by family. He was a hard-working, fun, and outgoing individual who will be missed by all who knew him.
A funeral Mass for Mr. Huber was set for March 22 at 11 a.m. at All Saints Church, 620 N. Cedar Bluff Road, with a celebration of life to follow in the All Saints parish hall.
Mr and Mrs. Patterson
David and Rita Patterson
Mr. Huber
Clareice D. Jenkins
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Clareice D. Jenkins, affectionately known as “Mama Jenkins.” Mrs. Jenkins passed away on Oct. 8 in a Nashville hospital surrounded by her daughters, family, and friends.
Mrs. Jenkins was born in Escatawpa, Miss., on June 17, 1934, and graduated from Magnolia High School. She then moved with her sister, Tommye, to Chattanooga. Let’s say Chattanooga would not be the same.
Mrs. Jenkins, a member of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, held several positions over the years—as a housekeeper, at Memorial Hospital, at Cutter Laboratories, at Buster Brown, and the last and most impactful position was with the city of Chattanooga as director of Parks and Recreation.
She was a cherished member of the community at age 90, and her legacy is woven into the fabric of countless lives. She was a mentor to many generations and dedicated her life to nurturing the youth and anyone else in her sphere, imparting wisdom, kindness, and a sense of purpose to all who had the privilege to know her.
Mrs. Jenkins enjoyed spending time playing basketball, watching sports, bowling, and teaching aerobics in her younger years. She was skilled in a variety of crafts: ceramics, glass staining, leather stamping, and all things artsy. Whether she was driving the blue Astro van or at the center, she was always available to give advice, provide encouragement, employ the rules of ladylike behavior or enforce manners. She was also known for her sense of style; she loved fashion and decorating. Her community activism led her to become a member of the Glenwood and Avondale neighborhood associations. Her fondest times were spent with her many siblings at family functions, traveling, and shopping with her daughters. She was particularly fond of hanging out with long-term friends and Vel-vet Social Club members. Her warmth and generosity were a beacon of hope and guidance.
Mrs. Jenkins will be deeply missed, but her spirit will continue to inspire and uplift us. Rest in peace, Clareice “Mama Jenkins.” Your light shines on in our hearts.
Mrs. Jenkins was preceded in death by her mother, Alma King Norvel; her stepfather, Norman Norvel Sr.; her husband, Alfonso Jenkins; her brothers-in-law, Edgar Montgomery Jr. and Odell Hudson Sr.; sisters-in-law, Mary Weaver and Helen Rucker; brothers, Herman Carter, Thomas Safford (Jeanette), and James Safford (Alfratis); and sisters, Norma Norvel, Ollie Williams, Cathy Norvel, Helen Norvel, and Dorothy Hudson.
She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved daughters, Alesia Jenkins of Chattanooga, Cassandra Jenkins Cooper (Marcus) of Nashville, and surrogate sons, Edward Harrison of Queens, N.Y., and Dexter Joshen of Chattanooga; her siblings, Tommye Montgomery of Nashville, Alma Norvel of Atlanta, Norman Norvel Jr. (Karin) of Asheville, N.C., Emma Norvel of Syracuse, N.Y., Iona Putmon (Willie) of Syracuse N.Y.; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended relatives, and friends.
A funeral service for Mrs. Jenkins was held on Oct. 16, with a burial service following in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Arline Bleier
Arline Stephanyne Bleier died on Feb. 2. She was 88.
Ms. Bleier was born in Trenton, N.J., on Sept. 15, 1936, and was the only child of Stephen J. and Dorothy McElroy Bleier. Her family moved to Knoxville when her father went to work for Rohm and Haas Co.
She was a member of the Knoxville Catholic High School class of 1954 and graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1958 with a degree in business administration. While at UT, she was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority where she met her lifelong best friend, Judith Bidwell Lukowski.
For more than 30 years, Ms. Bleier lived in Connecticut and worked in New York City as an executive assistant. Her time in the city influenced her taste for fine things, including her favorite Jo Malone perfume, which she loved buying and gifting to friends. Her most prized possessions were her Masters Tournament badges, which allowed her to attend the Augusta professional golf event with her parents and friends for more than 50 years. She was an avid member of Arnie’s Army and was proud to mention that she took lessons from professional golf legend
Faithful Departed
Arnold Palmer. We suspect that Ms. Bleier’s heaven will be in Amen Corner playing golf for eternity.
Ms. Bleier was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her aunt, JoAnne Hitchliffe; cousins, Karen Hitchliffe of Burlington, N.J., John Maternack of Fernandina Beach, Fla., Donald Kratz of Indianapolis, and Deborah Murran of Trenton, N.J. She also was survived by special friends the Joe Lukowski and Sam MacDonald families.
Family and friends gathered in her memory at the noon Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Feb. 12, with a luncheon that followed in the cathedral parish Shea Room. Ms. Bleier was to be buried with her parents at St. Mark’s Cemetery in Bristol, Penn.
Sydney Shipp Causey
Sydney Shipp Causey, born on Sept. 11, 1933, in Chattanooga, passed away on Feb. 7 in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Mrs. Causey was a remarkable woman whose life story is a testament to love, family, and resilience.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Murray Causey Jr., and her first husband, Philip George Shipp. She also mourned the loss of her son, Timothy Lawton Shipp; her sons, Christopher and Patrick, who died shortly after birth; her sibling, John L. Wright Jr.; her sister-in-law, Peggy Wright; and her nephew, Stephen Wright.
She is survived by her beloved family, including her children: Philip Andrew Shipp (Vickie), Charles Patrick Shipp (Wendy), Paul Martin Shipp (Ruth), and Jeannine Shipp Jones (Les).
Mrs. Causey cherished her role as a grandmother and is remembered fondly by her eight grandchildren: Jessica (William Mahaffey), Becky (Russell Spaulding), Emily, Kirsten, Timothy (Liz Barrow), Paul (Michelle), Allison, and Sydney AnnMarie. Additionally, she held a special place in her heart for her many great-grandchildren. Mrs. Causey also is survived by her nephew, Jack Wright (Chantana) of San Antonio, Texas.
The bonds she formed with her family and friends were a cornerstone of her life, and her memory will continue to resonate within them. As we remember Sydney, we honor her journey through life a journey filled with love, dedication, and family. Her spirit will forever remain in the hearts of those who loved her.
A funeral Mass for Mrs. Causey was celebrated at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut on Feb. 15. A burial service followed at Anderson Memorial Gardens in Clinton.
Donations in Mrs. Causey's memory may be made to the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), Donation Processing Center, P.O. Box 758621, Topeka, KS 66675-8621 or online at www.christianapp.org
John T. Greene
John Thomas Greene, 83, of Lake Ozark and St. Peters, Mo., died peacefully on Jan. 30 after a struggle with Parkinson’s disease dementia.
Mr. Greene had practiced law in his hometown of Knoxville for many years before moving in 2007 to Missouri, where his wife, fellow Knoxvillian Kay Henderson Greene, has family.
Mr. Greene will be remembered for his warm and genial manner; a love of baseball, billiards, and golf, all of which he played, along with senior league softball; an enthusiasm for multiple musical genres combined with an exceptional bass voice that stood out in church choirs and karaoke sessions, not to mention family singalongs and country solos covering George Jones and other greats; and an irreverent sense of humor paired with a sometimes quizzical mind. He said more than once he wanted his epitaph to read, “What was that all about?”
Mr. Greene was born on May 30, 1941, the first child of John William and Senta von Schrenk Greene. He attended the former St. Mary School, then Knoxville Catholic High School. Once graduated, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He served with the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. He also was part of a force deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962.
After the Marine Corps, Mr. Greene earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, worked at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, and was a lawyer for the
company in New York City. He then returned to Knoxville to represent plaintiffs in personal injury cases through the Law Offices of J.D. Lee. He was deeply committed to seeking justice for his clients.
Besides his wife, Kay, the former Kathryn Monica Shepherd, he is survived by his daughters, Sharon (Doug) Greene Bitzer of Knoxville, and Rachel Leah Greene of Irvington, N.Y., and Knoxville, both from a previous marriage to Marianne Kelly Greene of Knoxville; stepsons, Charles (Terri) Raymond Henderson III and Timothy (Lesli) Frederick Henderson, both of the St. Louis area; and brothers and sisters, Susan (John) Alma Bennett of Lexington Park, Md., Catherine Virginia Greene of Knoxville, Richard (Alice) William Greene, Knoxville, Robert (Elizabeth) Trifon Greene, Arlington, Va., Thomas Anthony Greene, Memphis, and Senta (Jonathan) Victoria Greene, Nashville; and many more loving friends and relatives. To his siblings, he was and always will be “Johnny.”
He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, John William Greene II.
A funeral Mass for Mr. Greene was celebrated on Feb. 22 at Immaculate Conception Church in Knoxville. A burial service followed at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery, where a celebration of life for Mr. Greene was held.
Donations in Mr. Greene’s memory may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association.
Judith Westbrook James
Judith Westbrook “Judye” James, age 84, passed away peacefully on March 3 surrounded in body and spirit by everyone who loved her.
Mrs. James was preceded in death by her loving and long-missed husband, Charles F. “Charlie” James Jr. and her parents, Mary Evelyn and Edwin Hodge, Mabel and John Westbrook, and her brother, Ed Westbrook.
Born on July 14, 1940, in Chattanooga, Mrs. James was a proud graduate of Chattanooga City High School and the University of Tennessee. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, where she made lifelong friends.
Later in life, she reconnected with three sisters and they had an annual “catch up” lunch together for the last 15 years or so.
Loyalty was her favorite word. She was loyal to her family, her friends, her church, her university, and her community. She served all with love and a fierce determination to be involved, make friends, organize, and administrate.
Mrs. James was a devoted fan of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball program. Her enthusiasm for the team was contagious, and she often could be seen in a Lady Vol T-shirt that said, “Impossible is Nothing.” She held immense respect and admiration for Pat Summitt’s leadership, dedication, competitiveness, and resilience, and she often spoke of her remarkable achievements and her positive impact on young girls and on women’s athletics.
Another passion of hers was the game of golf. Mrs. James belonged to clubs in Memphis and Knoxville, played in and won tournaments statewide, and was a member of both Memphis and Knoxville area women’s golf associations. She became an advocate for senior women golfers and was one of the founding members and 16-year president of the statewide Tennessee Golden Girls Golf Group. She loved nothing more than to play a round of golf on a beautiful day with her friends.
Mrs. James was a parishioner of All Saints Church in Knoxville, and she adored her Thursday morning Bible study group there.
Mrs. James was so proud of her family and was a strong, generous, common-sense mother and grandmother. She is survived by her daughters, Laura James Higdon (John) and Jennifer James Clark; her grandchildren, Eric Higdon (Carissa), Brooks Welk (Victoria), Taylor Welk (Hannah), Charlie Higdon, and Frances Higdon; and great-grandchildren, Kollins Welk, Juniper McCauley, Grayson Higdon, and Wyatt Welk.
There are not enough words of gratitude and love for the neighbors of Highgrove Gardens who enjoyed her pragmatic, no-nonsense style. They loved her and looked after her as they do all of their neighbors. It’s a very special place.
A funeral Mass for Mrs. James was celebrated on March 6 at All Saints. A burial service was held on March 8 at Forest Hill Memorial Park East in Memphis.
Donations in Mrs. James memory may be made to the University of Tennessee women’s athletics program, Girls Golf-Knoxville at Fairways & Greens, or Catholic Charities of East Tennessee. Kindly consider contributing financially or physically so that a young girl or woman can succeed in sports. ■
