Holy Ghost renovating its original 1908 church building
A $3 million project will transform the older structure next door into a parish life center
By Dan McWilliams
One of the highlights of the 100th-anniversary celebration of Holy Ghost Church’s current building is the effort to renovate the North Knoxville Catholics’ original 1908 church into a parish life center.
The ground floor of the older building next door on Central Street was used as a church until the current worship space was dedicated in 1926. The upper floor of the original church served as Holy Ghost School, which operated from the parish’s founding until 1963, when St. Joseph School opened about five miles farther north. Henkel Hall, the downstairs meeting room in the current Holy Ghost Church, also was used for Holy Ghost School classes.
In more recent years, the old church building was used by the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville and the Byzantine Catholic community. The first floor has been empty ever since while the old school rooms upstairs were mostly gutted some time ago.
The new center will meet the needs of a growing Holy Ghost Parish, which has doubled to more than 1,000 families in the last five years and greatly needs space for events that are beyond what Henkel Hall can host. The renovated building also will house the parish offices, which have long been in the rectory behind the old church.
The interior and exterior of the old church will undergo a complete restoration, adding 8,800 square feet of meeting and office space to the campus. The first floor will have a 2,000-square-foot hall for events, one large conference room, and bathrooms as well as the offices added. All electronics and security equipment will move to the new space and all current office furniture will do so as well with no added expense for that.
The second floor will have five separate large meeting rooms or classrooms, two priest offices, a deacon office, and two bathrooms.
An extra set of stairs and an elevator will be added to the north side of the new center in an extended area that will go toward the current church, about where a protective overhang for a priest’s car is located on the old church.
Designing the new parish life center will be GAE Architect + Design of Knoxville, whose founder, George Armour Ewart, is a parishioner of Immaculate Conception in downtown Knoxville. Blaise Burch, a parishioner of the Cathedral of
of the foundation of the parish, next door at the old church, and now here we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of this church.”
Father Orr presented his homily in an acrostic, a type of writing or puzzle where the first letters of sentences or clue answers spell out a message. Tenebrae services during Holy Week use an acrostic in the Hebrew language from the Book of Lamentations, and many psalms use acrostics.
“If you’ve ever been to Tenebrae, either more recently or when Monsignor Mankel did it, you might remember him singing ‘aleph,’” the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Father Orr said.
The pastor’s acrostic was based on “only God, no one else, enlightened by grace and faith and baptism.”
“Holiness is the reason for this parish, indeed the Church. Unity in faith, hope, and charity is our safeguard. Never surrender to sin or Satan or the glamour of evil. Defend the faith, your family, recommit to the next hundred years. Eternity awaits,” Father Orr said “Determination got us this far and will see us through. Yes to God and no to the devil, every day another chance to
the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, is working on the project for contractor J.A. Fielden of Knoxville, where he is vice president.
The center has a target completion date of next spring, said Holy Ghost pastor Father John Orr.
“The project’s about $3 million, and we’ve got $1.2 million on hand collected over the last 20 years or so,” he said. “In theory, we’re hoping to be in by April 2027, so it’s 12 months. This is April-May already, so I’m hoping we can do that.”
An unexpected issue with the south side of the current church’s bell tower that occurred late last year is being taken care of now before the parish center work can begin.
“There was a catastrophic failure of the stone facing on the bell tower, and so that stone fell onto the roof. Catholic Mutual paid us for the roof but not for the bell tower, so we’re getting the bell tower refaced with stone,” Father Orr said. “It’s taking a while to get that all done.”
Tyler Williamson of the Immaculata Construction Group is the dayto-day contractor on the bell-tower job.
Roofs on both churches will be replaced.
“The roof issues on the new church can be addressed, and then
pray and to be faithful. Always remember God and His grace. Return frequently to receive God’s grace and to give Him glory. Salvation is assured to those who persevere.”
The “new” Holy Ghost Church has seen much in its 100 years.
“Lots of Masses here, lots of prayers. How many times have you alone prayed your rosary? That’s a lot of prayers. How many people have been married here or baptized here or buried from here? A hundred years of prayer,” Father Orr said.
Holy Ghost has had 14 pastors alltime and 11 in the 100-year history of the current church building, if Father John Dowling is counted both for his roles as administrator in 1997 and as pastor from 2014-19.
Four bishops of the Diocese of Nashville and four bishops of Knoxville have served Holy Ghost since 1926, when the church dedication Mass had the same readings as a century later, from Ezekiel 47, Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 3, and John 2.
“We’ve had nine popes, eight bishops,” Father Orr said. “When I was doing my seminary studies, we had one pope, even through my ordination. That would be John Paul II and then Benedict XVI. I finished
we start in earnest on the renovation of the old church,” Father Orr said.
The upper floor of the original church that served as Holy Ghost School has an unusual structure.
“It’s interesting to me the way the architects and engineers explain it: the second floor is suspended from the rafters. They’re like posts coming down, so that meant in the ground floor where there was originally a worship place, there are no pillars to obstruct your view
my (doctoral) research in the United Kingdom while Pope Francis was on the chair of Peter, and now we celebrate this anniversary, the dedication of this church, with Leo XIV on the chair of Peter. Pius XI was on the chair of Peter when this church was dedicated, same chair of Peter, same seven sacraments, same readings. Please God, may those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith enjoy the bliss of heaven and intercede for us even as we remember them in our prayers.”
Bishop Alphonse J. Smith of Nashville, whose diocese at that time included all of Tennessee, was shepherd when Holy Ghost’s current church was constructed. He was succeeded by Bishops William L. Adrian, Joseph A. Durick, and James D. Niedergeses, who led the Diocese of Nashville when the Knoxville Diocese was founded in 1988. The Diocese of Memphis was erected in 1970. Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell was Knoxville’s founding bishop, followed by now-Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, Bishop Richard F. Stika, and Bishop Beckman, also a son of the Diocese of Nashville.
“It was interesting for me to note that amongst the eight bishops who have overseen this parish, four were
of the sanctuary,” Father Orr said. “That being said, they’re going to put what I’ll call an iron or steel exoskeleton around the existing rafters.”
The floor in the parish center where the nave was originally will have a distinctive look.
“There’s a coffered ceiling on the inside, and then for the floor there’s a herringbone pattern in the middle with plank around and a border. It’s not just plain jane—it has a little
Nashvillians because the whole state was under Nashville for the longest while. Alphonse Smith and Bishop Adrian, he was bishop a long time, almost 30 years. Bishop Durick, Bishop Niedergeses, who we call our grandfather in the Diocese of Knoxville. And now we’re on our fourth bishop, who’s also a Nashvillian. We had Bishop O’Connell and Archbishop Kurtz and Bishop Stika. God rest some souls there,” Father Orr said.
The Holy Ghost pastor said the 1926 church’s construction followed World War I and its parishioners have endured all of the wars since, while the edifice also came to be after 20 of the 21 ecumenical councils in Church history, with the Second Vatican Council as the only one to take place after the building’s completion.
Holy Ghost’s striking stainedglass windows from the 1920s depict two of what would be the mysteries of light of the rosary, added in 2002 by St. John Paul II. Father Orr gestured to his left toward one window and to his right toward another during his homily.
“For me, I’m always thrilled to note that our window over there,
Complete restoration This rendering by GAE Architect + Design of Knoxville shows the original Holy Ghost Church from four angles as it will look after it is renovated into a parish life center. Below is the old Holy Ghost Church as it appeared earlier in the 2000s when it was used by the Ladies of Charity.
Holy Ghost 100th continued on page B6
Renovation continued on page B11
Holy Ghost 100th continued from page B1
Photos on pages B4 and B5 by Dan McWilliams, Bill Brewer, and Jim Richmond.
Historical photos are courtesy of Holy Ghost Parish.
Holy Ghost celebrates 100 years in its 1926 church
Holy Ghost celebrates 100 years in its 1926 church
the baptism of the Lord, and our window there of the Transfiguration—those windows are 100 years old, give or take, right? But the mysteries of light as part of Our Lady’s rosary only date back to 2002, so Holy Ghost was ahead of the curve in monumentalizing those two of five mysteries of light,” he said.
Although Masses were in Latin when the current Holy Ghost Church was built, the reredos behind the altar with bas reliefs of the four Evangelists uses English for their names below their images, and each saint is shown holding a book of his Gospel open to the first page, with the opening verses also in English.
“Our reredos has the four Evangelists on either side of Christ the King, whose feast was new in 1926. The names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are written in English, not in Latin, and the first words of their Gospels, respectively, written in English, not in Latin,” Father Orr pointed out.
The Mass reading from Ezekiel spoke of water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east.
“Repeatedly, this passage of Ezekiel’s prophecy speaks about facing the east or ad orientem,” Father Orr said, adding that “the angels told the men of Galilee that this same Jesus would return just as He had left, which is to say from the east.”
Holy Ghost’s clergy and parishioners “indeed are standing on the shoulders of giants who did great things before us,” the pastor said.
“Now, it’s our turn to play our part in the centenary history of our parish (church). It’s safe to say some of us might not make it to the 150th or even the 200th anniversary on this side of eternity, but if we should be called to heaven before then, let us remember to pray for this place and those who gather here in God’s Holy Name, to worship the one God, the true God, the only God, in spirit and in truth,” he said.
Christ spoke of the temple of His body in the Gospel reading from John.
“When mother Church dedicates her church buildings, she considers that we are to be living stones ourselves, and our Lord reminds us of that explicitly in this passage from St. John’s Gospel,” Father Orr said. “When we receive Holy Communion—the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ—we say ‘amen,’ ‘Corpus Christi, amen.’ That one ‘amen’ refers to the mystery at hand, the Eucharist we are about to receive, but also all that mother Church believes and professes. Very powerful word: ‘I believe,’ ‘amen,’ ‘so be it.’ So be it indeed.”
A century of history
Parishioner and 100th-anniversary committee member Orpha Leitch gave Holy Ghost centennial ornaments to each family after Mass. The buffet dinner downstairs was provided by Brown Bag Catering, with Father Iurochkin leading the prayer before the meal.
Holy Ghost parishioner, historian, and anniversary committee member Pat Gang spoke at the dinner on the treasure trove of events that the century-old church has seen. Mr. Gang opened by thanking committee chair Marie Ward and fellow members Mary Wilson, Jim Richmond, Phil Birge of the parish office, Mark Williamson, Mrs. Leitch, and Mary Birge.
Mr. Gang said that Holy Ghost’s history “was a story you could tell your grandchildren. The centennial of this building is amazing.”
The parish historian quoted the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams,” where the character played by James Earl Jones said that baseball was the only constant in an America that had been “erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again.”
“But this place hasn’t” been erased, Mr. Gang said, “and please God it won’t.”
Bishop Thomas S. Byrne of Nashville announced the erection of Knoxville’s second parish, after Immaculate Conception Parish downtown, on Pentecost Sunday, 1907,
and gave it the appropriate name of Holy Ghost. The original church building was dedicated the following year. The upper floor of the old church served as Holy Ghost School, which operated from 1908 to 1963, when—its establishment having been spurred by Father Henkel after his arrival as pastor in 1958—St. Joseph School opened in Fountain City.
“One of the reasons that I’m up here: my grandmother and my grandfather and those of my aunts and uncles who had been born by that point were in the congregation at Immaculate Conception when this parish was erected,” Mr. Gang said. “My grandfather probably sold the pipes for old Holy Ghost Church over there. My grandmother made some cloth napkins for the new priest, so we’ve been here. We came with the building. Then I thought about it—we came with buildings. My aunts and uncles all went to Holy Ghost School.”
Mr. Gang’s mother, Marian McLoughlin Gang, was in the first graduating class at Knoxville Catholic High School in 1932. Mrs. Gang, who died in 2001 at age 88, wrote a history of Holy Ghost Parish in 1976.
Her son Pat has a distinctive part in St. Joseph School history.
“My classmates and I were the first class to go all the way through St. Joseph School, from first grade to eighth grade. There was no preschool back in those days. We came with that building, so we’ve been here,” said Mr. Gang, who was commissioned by Monsignor Mankel to write The First Century of Holy Ghost Parish, a red hardcover book published in 2008.
The original Holy Ghost Church was used for only 18 years.
“As time went on, there had always been an intention that the old building was considered functional. It was built very strong, but they knew that it was going to eventually reach its limit, and in the early 1920s, it did,” Mr. Gang said.
The firm of Crowe and Schulte of Cincinnati designed the new Holy Ghost Church, and J.H. Dunn Co. of Knoxville built it at a cost of $300,000. Crowe and Schulte designed many buildings at that time, with Mr. Gang remarking that a church in Lexington, Ky., and another in Dayton, Ohio, resemble Holy Ghost.
Father Louis J. Kemphues, pastor of Holy Ghost from 1921-29 when the new church was built, as well as Father Henkel with St. Joseph School and Monsignor Mankel with later renovations, were good priests to have in charge when building needs arose, Mr. Gang said.
Trivia questions
Printed on the back of the dinner program were 20 questions about Holy Ghost history compiled by Mrs. Leitch. They included:
n What is the stone on the exterior of the current church? (limestone);
n The three entrances from the narthex to the nave symbolize what? (the triune God);
n True or false: the 12 light fixtures in the nave symbolize the Twelve Apostles (true);
n What year was the Schantz pipe organ at Holy Ghost purchased? (1952);
n Who was the parish’s longestserving pastor? (Father Henkel, 1958-96);
n Which Holy Ghost pastor had a bridge named after him? (again Father Henkel, as the Coster Shops Bridge on Interstate 275 was renamed for him in 1990); and
n Who was the associate pastor when a small child ran up the aisle after Christmas Mass and put a small stuffed lion in the Nativity scene next to the lamb? (Father Charlie Burton).
Mr. Chandler scored 17 out of 20 correct answers.
Mrs. Ward then asked those in Henkel Hall to raise their hands if they had been parishioners for more than 25, 35, 45, 55, 60, or 65 years, and finally Mr. Chandler’s hand was the only one left raised. She then asked who had been in the par-
ish less than five, three, or two years and who had entered the Church this year, with one family having that last honor.
Mr. Gang asked the dinner attendees what high school Father Orr attended in Miami, and Rita Cook—the person who had the correct answer of Christopher Columbus High School—received a Holy Ghost sweatshirt.
Father Orr received a red Holy Ghost T-shirt for keeping his end-ofdinner remarks under 5 minutes in length.
“Thank you so much for coming and not only for our festivity tonight but Sunday by Sunday and some even day by day. I mentioned earlier we are standing on the shoulders of giants, not just the 100 years of parishioners and pastors and the like but even on the shoulders of the Apostles and our Lord Jesus Christ. When we live our lives according to grace in the faith, we glorify Him who made us to do just that,” he said.
The Holy Ghost pastor again referred to the reredos behind the altar, which depicts St. Mark—whose feast day is April 25—facing south.
“He’s not looking to the north but to the south because he’s the scribe for St. Peter. St. Peter told St. Mark what to write, with a little help from the Holy Spirit, so whether we read Matthew or Mark or Luke or John, stay close to the Lord,” Father Orr said before leading a closing prayer.
Senior parishioner
Mr. Chandler, who attended the old St. Mary School at Immaculate Conception as well as KCHS, has been a parishioner of Holy Ghost for nearly 90 years apart from time at college.
“I was baptized at Holy Ghost Church in 1939. I’ve gone to school and come back, and I’m here now. I’ve sung in the choir since I was in the third grade, both up at St. Mary’s and here and at Catholic High. I’m still singing in the choir,” he said.
Mr. Chandler said that it is “good that they’re taking care of the church again” with the renovations to the 1908 building.
The senior parishioner at Holy Ghost said his favorite pastor was Father Leo Baldinger, who served from 1954 to 1958, immediately preceding Father Henkel. He also recalled fondly Father Walter M.J. Emala, who was a Holy Ghost assistant pastor—as associate pastors were called then—during the 1950s.
“Father Baldinger had such a mild manner,” Mr. Chandler said. “The priest who took a lot of care of me was Father Emala. It was partly because in high school I had a driver’s license, being a farmer, and I used to drive him across the state. He had a siren in his car because he was a Fraternal Order of Police kind of guy.”
Mr. Chandler around 2000 completed a yearslong project to identify the figures depicted in Holy Ghost’s stained-glass windows, which were made by the Tyrolese Art Glass Co. in Innsbruck, Austria. Each window has a dedication at its bottom edge in memory of a Holy Ghost family, but the figures in the windows do not bear identifications.
“I asked 20 people outside the church if they knew who the windows represented and not a one of them did. I went home and asked my mom, who knew everything, and she didn’t know either,” Mr. Chandler said of his quest.
The Apostles depicted in the side windows of the nave are holding second-century symbols that allowed Mr. Chandler to ID them.
The windows in the sacristy show Old Testament figures, while the nave has New Testament figures and four doctors of the Church—Sts. Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory, and Jerome—are seen in the back windows of Holy Ghost.
Committee chair Mrs. Ward said she didn’t “feel like I’m the chair” of the anniversary committee because “we’re all working together.”
The Holy Ghost parishioner said she wanted to rent round tables for the dinner instead of using Henkel Hall’s rectangular tables.
“One of the things that I really wanted to focus on was the hall. We have rectangular tables, and I thought for something like this I really wanted the parish to come together and be able to communicate, so we rented round tables and chair coverings. I really wanted to make it a nice evening for everybody,” she said.
Mrs. Ward said she has been a parishioner only four years, and enjoyed signing up committee volunteers as well as “meeting other people here within the parish and also learn the history.”
The pastor speaks
Father Orr said “the shoulders of giants” include “many great parishioners and Father Henkel and Monsignor Mankel—these are some of the great priests. Now we have to live up to that legacy and at least try to meet them if not follow their good lead and do what we can to grow the kingdom.”
The 100-year history of the 1926 building includes untold weddings, baptisms, and confirmations. Father James Vann Johnston Jr., a son of Holy Ghost Parish and now the Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., was ordained a priest at Holy Ghost, later served as its associate pastor, and celebrated his 25th ordination anniversary there. Father Mark Scholz was also ordained a priest at Holy Ghost.
“Somebody pointed out that between the St. James the Great and St. James the Less window, there’s a pew which was given in honor of James Vann Johnston, who would become the bishop of Kansas CitySt. Joseph, Mo.,” Father Orr said.
Additional Holy Ghost 100thanniversary events include the May Crowning held on May 2 and a parish picnic from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, the day before the parish’s patronal feast day of Pentecost. A eucharistic procession will take place during the 10 a.m. Mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 24, and Bishop Beckman will celebrate a confirmation Mass at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. A 25th-anniversary celebration of Father Orr’s priestly ordination will occur this summer. ■
Holy Ghost 100th continued
Holy Ghost celebrates 100 years in its 1926 church
One hundred years old Holy Ghost’s 1926 church has stood for a century on Central Street in North Knoxville.
be.
“What a joy it is for me to be able to say thank you for the work that you have done in your parishes, in your deaneries, and in the diocese,” Monsignor Humbrecht told the women.
The Golden Rose
Following Mass was the Golden Rose presentation. The Golden Rose is a program that recognizes young women between the ages of 14 and 21 who exemplify the CCW mission through spirituality, leadership, and acts of service. Each deanery selects a winner, and from those four young women, the KDCCW choose a winner, who then goes on to compete for the National Council of Catholic Women Golden Rose.
“Reading the profiles of our Golden Rose candidates, it is so evident that the Diocese of Knoxville is blessed with so many faith-filled and service-oriented young ladies,” Karen Meiring, KDCCW president, said. “Many prayers have been offered for guidance as winners have been selected.”
This year’s deanery winners were: Chattanooga Deanery— Brenda Solorzano of St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland; Cumberland Mountain Deanery— Isabella Zolnierczuk of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge; Five Rivers Deanery—Marisol May of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City; and Smoky Mountain Deanery—Karen Amayo Castro of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa.
Miss Castro was named the 2026 KDCCW Golden Rose.
“Thank you so much to the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women,” Miss Castro said. “This means a lot, and I hope to be some sort of inspiration for the younger generation. I’m really grateful to be here, and this is just another reason to keep going.”
Spirituality and song
As the participants moved into the parish life center, they were greeted by booth exhibits showcasing ministries, information, and resources. Real-time Spanish translation was made available, making the event accessible to a wider range of participants.
The first speaker was Lisa Tuggle, the co-founder and executive director of the Pauline Community of St. Joseph, which works to bring the Word to the world through the spiritual works of mercy. As a Pauline Missionary for Marriage and the Family, Ms. Tuggle teaches, trains, and leads evangelization and catechetical activities.
In her keynote talk, Ms. Tuggle spoke on the gospel of love. She presented on the components of peace, unity, and love and “a spirituality of personal integrity,” which involves the heart, mind, and will.
“Where there is peace, there is love. Where there is unity, there is love. And where there is love, there is God,” she said.
“Faith is the functional component of peace. Peace requires confidence. Confidence means ‘to go with faith.’ So, the journey to unity in love begins with personal peace founded upon faith. You cannot have peace or confidence in others if you do not have peace within yourself.”
Ms. Tuggle discussed causes of conflict, both globally and in personal relationships, as well as over-
coming fear and mistrust.
“Listening and seeking to understand one another and believing in the good in one another brings out the best in everyone involved. This process breaks open the gates of rejoicing. We feel connected again.”
Ms. Tuggle presented hope as the functional component of unity.
“Unity is not only the absence of conflict but, more specifically, our interior personal unity, which is our capacity for community, for communion with others in personal relationships. Hope is the power of unity. So, when we unite with others, this unity can accomplish what we cannot achieve on our own, and that gives us hope,” she said.
“We need each other. Unity is the capstone of human experience and leads to the possibility of relating in love.”
She then presented the seven interior dispositions that instruct one’s ability to unite with others, breaking down particular ways people are often hampered from forging mature, positive relationships.
“We’re going to put this in the context of the biblical account of Joshua preparing to enter the Promised Land of the Israelites,” she said. “Here’s Joshua on the plains of Moab. He wants to enter the land and live in peace and prosperity with his people. He wants to be a good leader, as some of you may also want to be. And he has been invested with the authority to do so. … And yet Joshua has a big problem. There are giants in the land. … Joshua and the Israelites had to destroy these giants.”
That which keeps us from peace and unity are like giants that must be battled, she explained.
“You and I face giants to enter into the promised land of peace, unity, and love. We have some giants to destroy, problems we women face in leadership and in life, and more specifically, in receiving and maintaining personal peace, without which we cannot afford holy, loving friendships or unite successfully with others in service of our living God.”
Finally, Ms. Tuggle discussed sharing as the functional component of love.
“God is love,” she said, quoting the Gospel of John. “And whoever abides in love abides in God and love in Him.
“So, this is good news in so many ways, especially for those in Jesus’ day who heard this the first time, because this was a world of full of hearts groping for a way to reach some semblance of holiness. So, holiness is a deep longing in the core of every human being. We crave holiness, which is wholeness, the experience of personal integrity in loving and being loved.”
She reminded the women that love is a two-way street.
“Love is personal. Love is relational. That is why God is a Trinity. Love is a dialogue between persons.”
Ms. Tuggle said that the gospel of love is modeled for us in Christ, who came down from heaven, empowered us with grace, and conquered death.
“Each love moment is a temple where our holiness, which is nothing more than His in us, shines like a light, inviting all those lost at sea in darkness, chaos, and certain death to find the safe shores of life in the light of love. This is our call.”
After lunch, Danielle Rose per-
formed for the women. Ms. Rose is a musical missionary from Birmingham, Ala., who shares her testimony through song.
Ms. Rose performed several of her own songs, playing piano and guitar. She taught the audience a few songs, too, encouraging them to sing along. Her young daughter, Genevieve, sat on the stage nearby and shared gifts, such as rosaries and prayer cards, with women in the audience.
Ms. Rose shared about her time volunteering with the Missionaries of Charity in Delhi, India, and her formation with the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, a Franciscan religious community. Ultimately, she was called to the vocation of marriage and serves through her music ministry.
As she began playing, she said, “This is a song, an invitation, for each of us. And I pray that we all have the courage today to go out into the deep and to walk out on the water to slay those giants with His grace, those giants Lisa was explaining and teaching about today.
“We’re going to give our hearts to the sound, and He can come and meet us in the storms of our hearts.”
In between songs, she shared some of her testimony and led prayers for healing and help.
Her emotional, relatable songs stirred the audience, who sang and clapped along. It was a prayerful, rousing ending to the event.
Building and serving
The service project for the day was The Holy Family Expansion Project for the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, the cloistered religious community in New Market. The project seeks to build a larger chapel for eucharistic adoration, an infirmary for aging Sisters, and new housing for
the growing community dedicated to praying for priests. The women at the KDCCW event raised $2,500 toward this project.
The event also highlighted how much the KDCCW is growing in the Chattanooga Deanery. Just a few years ago, the deanery CCW was struggling with engagement. Thanks to a few determined women, the Chattanooga Deanery CCW has been rebuilt, and parishes in the deanery are growing their CCWs. Being able to host such a large event and have such active participation demonstrated how far the deanery had come.
Brenda Ratcliff, who along with Sue Granger chaired the event commission, was excited by the turnout and the amazing work of the St. Mary Parish hosts. She marveled at how far the parish CCW had come in just a few years.
“Three years ago, St. Mary’s was trying to get their women’s group together, and I came up here as the president of the St. Thérèse CCW and shared with them everything we do at St. Thérèse. And they were just on fire. Their women caught fire, and they started building their CCW. So, when this opportunity came up for them to host this here, they were so excited about it.
“And here it is. It’s come to fruition, and there’s a great turnout. It’s great. Everything turned out just wonderfully.”
She thanked the St. Mary Parish CCW and Knights of Columbus who volunteered and made the event flow so smoothly and successfully.
“This is kind of like their debut,” Ms. Ratcliff said. “We are very excited that we are on fire here in the deanery.”
To learn more about the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, visit kdccw.org ■
Young witness Danielle Rose (left) and Karen Meiring cheer on Mrs. Rose’s daughter Genevieve, who assisted her mother in sharing positivity and prayer during the KDCCW event.
Drawing a crowd More than 240 women from across the diocese attended the KDCCW event held at St. Mary Church in Athens on April 18.
Growing and thriving Event committee chairs Brenda Ratliff and Sue Granger thank the attendees and the volunteers for a successful day. The Chattanooga Deanery CCW and the St. Mary CCW have both grown in the past few years.
Fighting giants Lisa Tuggle speaks to the women on the gospel of love and overcoming obstacles with heart, mind, and will.
Helping the Handmaids Gisela Devan (left), on behalf of the cloistered Handmaids of the Precious Blood, receives a check from KDCCW treasurer Donna Dunn for the Handmaids’ Holy Family Expansion Project.
Singing to God Danielle Rose leads the women in song and prayer.
Chattanooga Deanery
St. Bridget, Dayton
Twelve young parishioners received the sacrament of confirmation from Bishop Mark Beckman at the 6:30 p.m. Mass on April 29. Eight children made their first Holy Communion at the 5:30 p.m. vigil Mass on May 2.
The Women’s Council celebrated March and April birthdays at La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant in Spring City on April 28. The next monthly bingo event is set for 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, May 22, in the parish hall.
St. Jude, Chattanooga
Parishioners Raleigh and Alice Cooper were honored as family of the year, Thomas Campbell as Knight of the year, and Ed Klim for lifetime achievements at the recent Knights of Columbus state convention.
Stephen Regan, financial adviser for the Knights at the parish, will host a regional webinar—“Guard. Grow. Give.”—at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, in the parish life center in conjunction with the Knights’ monthly potluck social. The social will start at 6:15 p.m., and those attending are asked to bring a dish.
St. Jude parishioners recently raised $6,134.72 in a baby-bottle drive to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center.
The floors throughout the parish life center were replaced during the week of May 4.
A Knights Mass for deceased members was celebrated on April 27, followed by a potluck social.
The Knights named as families of the month Sam and Anne Rothenbach for January, Patty Varley for February, and Rick and Janice Grau for March.
St. Stephen, Chattanooga
The parish book club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, in the Prime Timers room to discuss Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. For more information, call Debby Sopko at 423-463-1060.
Anniversaries: William and Mary Apps (57), Robert and Connie Aaron (55), Fran and Lyn Grillo (55), Michael and Brenda Lucas (53), Charles and Betty Anne Neal (50), Ron and Libby Schleifer (45), Richard and Jean Botto (40) Cumberland Mountain Deanery Blessed Sacrament, Harriman
A spring picnic will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, in the grassy area behind the church center or in the parish hall if there is inclement weather.
Buddy’s bar-b-q will cater the event. Sign up in the hall or outside the front entrance after Mass.
Silas Bunch, Wyatt Bunch, Aria Cambareri, Albert Griewahn, Anika Jaworski, Mila Jaworski, Sofia Novacek, and Wyatt Sartin received their first Holy Communion on May 3. Serenity Bishop, Alice Humphreys, Evelyn Humphreys, and Madilynn Sandoz have also received their first Communion this year.
The Knights of Columbus hosted a Mother’s Day brunch after Mass on May 10.
The young-adult group held a boardgame night in the parish hall on April 25 after evening Mass.
St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade
A celebration of pastor Father Michael Woods’ 60th anniversary of priestly ordination will take place on Friday, June 19, including Mass at 3 p.m. CDT with Bishop Mark Beckman and an openhouse reception to follow at the Fairfield Glade Center. Father Woods was ordained to the priesthood on June 23, 1966. Make a reservation for the reception at saintfrancisfairfield.org/ diamond-jubilee by Monday, June 1. To contribute a favorite photo of
Father Woods for a slide show at the reception, e-mail media@saintfrancis fairfield.org
Johnathan Saniuk, son of parishioners Chet and Janet Saniuk, was ordained to the priesthood on May 16 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.
Knights of Columbus Monsignor Philip F. Thoni Council 16088 thanked parishioners for another successful “40 Cans for Lent” project. Donations totaled 1,968 pounds, with cash and checks adding another $3,200. The donations will help the Peavine Care Center and Crab Orchard Care Center food pantries as they are seeing large increases in their weekly clients.
A “Bible Walk through the Mass” is held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Mondays with Pat Jennings. For information, call 425-760-9484.
A spiritual-direction session with Deacon Daniel Cooper was held in the parish hall on April 30.
The parish’s traveling Blessed Mary statue has been to the Preserve at Fairfield Glade retirement community and Fairfield Glade Senior Living. For more details, call Reene Petro at 614-352-4997 or Christina Seaman at 707-267-5078.
Anniversaries: Richard and Susanne Gross (66), Terry and Nancy Allen (62), Jim and Anita Renick (62), Bob and Kathy McCone (61), David and Sally Kowalski (59), David and Corinne Bain (57), Dennis and Rosemarie Robak (56), Victor and Deborah LaPorte (53), Steve and Mary Christine Nagy (53), Michael and Mary Hood (52), David and Candyce Corcoran (52), Samuel and Ann Hall (51), Stephen and Becky Raabe (51), Stephen and Karen Bungo (50), Michael and Christine Monahan (45), Michael and Romona Malone (45), Michael and Marie Spitler (45), Jeanne and Robin George (40), Richard and Janet Walter (30), John and Michele Ellis (25), Michael and Leslie Hunstad (25)
St. John Neumann, Farragut
A five-episode series, “The Dignity of Work,” a Catholic formation series for men, is being held on third Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Seton Hall. The first session is May 18. Episode titles are “God’s Mission for Man,” “Work and Holiness,” “Work Life and Family Life,” “Work and the World,” and “Putting Work in Its Place.” Sessions include a pizza social, prayer, a presentation, and small-group reflection. Register at forms.gle/r1q6ds6r6 DxM1hZV8. For more information, call Sister Elizabeth Wanyoike, ESM, at 865-777-4313.
Neumann Young Adults will celebrate the feast day of St. Joan of Arc with a social after the vigil Mass at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. The gathering in Seton Hall will have French food, s’mores, a raffle, and prizes. The group had an outing at Lakeshore Park on March 16.
An Endow small group for women will study Pope St. John Paul II’s “Letter to Women” from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays beginning June 2 in Seton Hall. To register or learn more, contact Lisa Beldyk at 865-712-1610 or 5beldyks@ charter.net, Sister Elizabeth Wanyoike, ESM, at 865-966-4540 or srelizabeth@ sjnknox.org, or Patricia Krass at 865363-4770 or thekrasses@tds.net. The Endow website is endowgroups.org
The new Publix in Westerly Commons at Dixie Lee Junction is now part of the parish’s rescued-food ministry. SJN volunteers are picking up food from the grocery store that is driven by Knights of Columbus Council 8781 members to more than 50 clients served by Catholic Charities of East Tennessee in the Jellico area.
St. Joseph, Norris
Summer youth studies are set for Tuesdays in June. Flyers and sign-up sheets will be at the front entrance and in the back of the church. Call Kylie Corrigan at 865-306-8441 for more
Parish notes continued on page B12
Advent concert at St. John Neumann benefits two organizations St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut recently presented two checks of $4,500 each to the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic and the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference. The checks represent proceeds raised through ticket sales and sponsorships of “Cathedrals: An Advent Night of Worship,” a concert featuring Matt Maher and Sarah Kroger held at the church on Dec. 5. St. John Neumann pastor Father Mark Schuster and parishioners Pat and Barbara O’Brien, who were volunteer leaders for the concert, are shown in each photo with the O’Briens at far left. In the top photo are Jessica Wenzlaff (center), executive director, and Sister Gianna Marie Savidge, RSM, medical director, from the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. Jim Lavallee in the bottom photo is president of the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference.
OF
Eight from Blessed Sacrament enter the Church at the Easter Vigil Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman welcomed eight OCIA catechumens and candidates into the Church at this year’s Easter Vigil Mass. From left are Megan Taylor, Addison Seber, Justin Taylor, Bob Venard, pastor Father Michael Sweeney, Ronnie Solomon, Amber Manning, Kevin Heidel, and Izzy Heidel.
COURTESY OF PATRICK WADE (2)
COURTESY
MARY THEW
COURTESY OF FATHER JULIUS ABUH
Crowning the Blessed Mother St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville celebrated May Crowning at the 8 and 10 a.m. Masses on May 3. Father Julius Abuh stood nearby as one child crowned the Blessed Mother at each Mass.
Bishop Mark Beckman will ordain Deacon Daniel Cooper to the priesthood in a Mass at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. A reception will follow in Cathedral Hall. The ordination Mass will also be livestreamed on the cathedral’s YouTube page at youtube.com@ shcathedral
The diocesan Office of Vocations is holding a Men’s Discernment Group for men interested in discerning if God is calling them to the priesthood. The group is hosted by Father Mark Schuster from 9 a.m. to noon on fourth Saturdays in the St. John Paul II Conference Room at the Chancery office in Knoxville, with the next meeting on May 23. If you are interested in joining the Men’s Discernment Group, fill out the form at forms.office.com/r/ CmSwudiVnf or e-mail vocations@ dioknox.org. There will be a Zoom option for those not in the Knoxville area.
A clergy webinar on natural family planning, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Marriage & Family Life, will be held from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 21. Visit register.gotowebinar. com/register/7389713651578490710 to register. Speakers will be Father Paul Nguyen, OMV, pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in the Archdiocese of Denver, and Deacon David Ulmer, RN, associate director for chastity and NFP for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The webinar will be hosted by Nick Vicinanzo, the ministry consultant for the Couple to Couple League.
The Council of Catholic Women at Holy Spirit Parish in Soddy-Daisy will hold a yard sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, at the pavilion, with proceeds benefiting the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich. Contact Paige Eveland at 407-921-1627 or peveland@gmail.com for more information.
The Diocese of Knoxville Care of Creation Commission invites all parishioners to a special Laudato Si’ anniversary event on Wednesday, May 27, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. Presentations on Laudato Si’ and ecological spirituality will begin at 5 p.m., with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman at 6. A reception will follow, and child care will be provided for ages 4 and under. See an event schedule and a link to reserve child care at dioknox.org/events/ ecological-spirituality-and-creationcare
The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus will host the Amadeus Concert Ensemble in a program titled “Rachmaninoff & Friends” at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, part of the Cathedral Concert Series. Under the direction of Brian Salesky, the ensemble will present the works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Mikhail Glinka, and Alexander Alyabyev. The program features the local debut of South Korean soprano Sunwoo Park, winner of the 2025 William Sullivan Foundation Award. Ms. Park will be heard in songs and arias by Rachmaninoff, Alyabyev, and Tchaikovsky, whose Sleeping Beauty Waltz will be dedicated to Knoxville’s Mary Costa, voice of Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty.” The Amadeus Concert Ensemble orchestra will be featured in three popular works: Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” and “The Three Wonders” from The Tale of Tsar Saltan. Also making their ensemble debut in this concert will be the S.O.U.L.S. Youth Choir. Admission to the concert is free, but seating is limited. Doors open one hour before the concerts. Tickets are available via the Eventbrite link at shcathedral.org/cathedral-concert-series The event will also be livestreamed, recorded, and archived with access available at m.youtube.com/c/ SacredHeartCathedralKnoxvilleTN
The annual God Camp for incoming sixth- through eighth-graders is coming up June 3-6 at Adventure Ocoee in Ocoee, Tenn. God Camp is an opportunity for middle-schoolers to grow in their faith, build friendships, and connect with other youth from
across the diocese. Highlights include lake inflatables, a wave pool, a bonfire and s’mores, outdoor sports, prayer services, and team-building activities. Registration is being done through parishes, so youth need to contact their parish youth minister.
The Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life will hold its annual rummage sale Thursday through Saturday, June 4-6, at St. Joseph School in Knoxville. Sale times are from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Donations of household items, furniture, toys, appliances, tools, dishes, clothes, books, and more will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day (except Sunday) from Tuesday, May 26, through Tuesday, June 2. Bring items to the old gym entrance at the front of the school (follow the signs). Large TVs, mattresses, and children’s car seats will not be accepted. Proceeds benefit the outreach and educational efforts of the TRL chapter. For more information, contact the chapter at trlknox@prolife.com
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on Thursday, June 11. This act coincides with the 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the Declaration of Independence, aiming to entrust the nation to God’s mercy and moral guidance. Similarly, there will be a special Mass, focused on consecrating the Diocese of Knoxville to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at noon on Friday, June 12, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The faithful are invited to be a part of this movement. There are several ways you and your family can participate in this moment of prayer for unity, peace, healing, and renewal for our nation, such as, praying the Sacred Heart Novena June 3-11, leading up to the national consecration; consecrating yourself or your family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; committing to be part of national works of mercy and Holy Hour campaigns; attending Mass on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Friday, June 12; or enthroning the Sacred Heart in your home, parish, school, or workplace. Learn more and find helpful resources at dioknox.org/ from-the-heart-of-christ
Knights of Columbus Council 11424 at St. Bridget Parish in Dayton will hold the annual Harry “Bunky” Jones Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 11, at Dayton Golf & Country Club in Evensville. A $75 individual entry fee covers all green and cart fees, goody bags, lunch, and contests. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 8:30. Contact Jeff Templin at jktnt@ epbfi.com or Chris Hill at hillzjc@ comcast.net to learn more or register.
Catholic Charities of East Tennessee will hold its annual Creators of Hope fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, at the Hyatt Place Rooftop Five Thirty Lounge, 530 S. Gay St. in Knoxville. Purchase tickets at dioknox.org/events/creators-ofhope-2026 or at www.ccetn.org/ events
Knoxville Catholic High School is hosting its annual Camp Irish summer camps. A girls basketball camp is set for May 26-28. Other camps are fo baseball, June 1-3; robotics, June 1-4; junior theater, June 1-13; boys basketball, June 8-10; softball, June 8-10; cheerleading, June 11-12; allsports, June 15-19 and June 29-July 3; football, July 6-9; volleyball, July 6-10; Irish Arts Theatre Workshop, July 6-24; soccer, July 20-23; math, July 20-24; and dance, July 22-24; To learn the age groups for each camp, costs, camp meeting times, and how to register, visit knoxvillecatholic.com/camp-irish or e-mail camps@knoxvillecatholic.com
Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga’s annual summer camps will be held in May and June. They begin with a volleyball camp May 26-29. Additional camps are for girls basketball, June 1-5; wrestling, June 1-5; theater, June 1-5; cheerleading and dance, June 8-12; boys and girls soccer, June 8-12; golf, June 15-18; and STEM, June 15-19. For costs, age groups,
Calendar continued on page B12
COURTESY OF SUSAN COLLINS (2)
Notre Dame religious-education students honored for good attendance
The last day of religious-education classes at Notre Dame Church in Greeneville concluded on May 3 with a breakfast for all the students and catechists. Twelve awards were given to students who had perfect attendance for the year (top photo). They are: Javier Martinez and Jayden Ramirez Hernandez, first grade; Rex Lowe, second grade; Hunter Dawson, Annaly Hernandez, and Connor Johnson, third grade; Fernando Galarza and Santiago Galarza, fourth grade; Edwin Perez and Emma Shortridge, fifth grade; and Melanie Jardinez and Daniella Smith from the confirmation class. Daniella, the oldest student with perfect attendance, was given the honor to crown the Blessed Mother at the May Crowning following a rosary before the 11 a.m. Mass. Fifteen attendance awards were presented to those missing only one day of class (bottom photo): Liam Dawson, Collin Williams, and Baylor Williams, first grade; Malaki Mendoza, second grade; Sebastian Menodza, Jaquelyn Huertas, Norlan Sierra Videa, Ximena Alba, Alan Ortiz, and Amelia Willliams, third grade; Brayson Perez, fourth grade; Jaylene Ramirez Hernandez and Alvaro Gonzalez, fifth grade; and Denisse Vazquez and Alexsander Reyes, confirmation class. The catechists were also recognized with a gift.
Confirmation at All Saints Church Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated confirmation on April 26 at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The bishop is pictured with Tyler Rushing, one of the youth who was confirmed that day.
Vacation Bible schools happening this summer around the diocese
Vacation Bible schools are coming up at churches around the diocese. Below are several that are taking place and contact information: n Notre Dame, Greeneville, evenings on June 3, 10, 17, and 24, themed “Cool Kingdom Party: Mary Leads Me Closer to Jesus,” for students entering kindergarten through fifth grade. Cost is $5. Sign up in the narthex or call Susan at 423-470-2560 to help. Sixth-graders and older may help lead the VBS.
n Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy, 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. on June 8-11, themed “Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God.” Visit vbspro. events/p/d39000 to register or learn more or see the display in the narthex.
n St. Jude, Chattanooga, 9 a.m. to noon on June 8-12 in Siener Hall,
themed “Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God.” To join a waitlist for the VBS, e-mail Deb at dweiss@stjudechattanooga.org n Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 9 a.m. to noon on June 8-12 in Cathedral Hall, themed “Discovery Mission.” Register at tinyurl.com/y62z2y2k n St. John Neumann, Farragut, 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on June 2226, themed “Marvelous Mystery: The Mass Comes Alive.” Adult volunteers are needed; visit forms. gle/523rTM8Dhk8Br1ZW7. Child care is provided for children under 4. Contact Sloane Clapp for more information at sloane.clapp@ gmail.com
n St. Stephen, Chattanooga, July 6-10. Contact Donna Scruggs at 423-892-2957 or cre@ststephen chatt.org ■
COURTESY OF ANGELA WRIGLEY
Praying
for Perspective
by George Valadie
‘I just don’t know if those babies are ready’
Moms and dads everywhere sharing the same fears and calling on the same Father
Looking back, I think Madge moved in back in late January.
The process took longer than you’d think given the fact she had so little to bring. We definitely had plenty of room; we weren’t using the particular spot she had picked, and since it was kinda cramped anyway, we had no such plans for its future use either.
And until she got everything in its place, I have to admit we weren’t really sure where she’d been staying at night. She didn’t share much.
A year or so ago, we had also opened our home to a cousin, Larry, though I doubted that was her name. And as it turned out, Larry was definitely a her. But Nancy was convinced. So, I went with it.
Turns out Madge was married— kinda. Though we never got his name. Just Madge and her man living out back.
For most of the move, he seemed absent, leaving the heavy lifting to his bride.
As her hauling went back and forth, Madge was meticulous in arranging every stick of furniture just so. Because, well … every stick of furniture was just that—a stick. Or a leaf. Or a twig.
After all, you can’t be willy-nilly about the nest that will be home to your babies—even if only for a short while.
As you have figured out, Madge is a bird, a robin to be specific. Obviously expecting, she unexpectedly adopted us to be grandparents. That’s how it felt anyway. Because all her preparation efforts provided a bit of familiar energy and anticipa-
Ttion for these two empty-nesters.
In actuality, we don’t really know her name, but my wife decided she looked like a Madge. After all, Nancy had studied her, keeping a daily watchful eye on all the proceedings as they unfolded, eagerly reporting to our daughters in our daily text chain.
“Hey, guess what? We have a new bird’s nest right outside our window. We need a name for her? She doesn’t look like a Larry.”
“What about Loretta or Edith?”
“I like that. But I’m vetoing Edith.”
“What about Bernadette? Or Bernie?”
“I’m going with Madge.”
They humor her sometimes. And then talk about her on a separate chain.
We couldn’t make out much from our vantage point down below, but then one morning on our back deck, we were suddenly greeted by the high-pitched chirping of triplets.
Life is a miracle, no matter the species.
You have to feel for this mom. As if childbirth and single-handedly building their new home wasn’t labor enough, try feeding triplets when every mouthful requires another trip to the store. Literally.
The spot this momma bird had picked seemed perfect for her new family of five. Some 12 feet above the ground, in a tucked-away corner, under the eave of our house in the crook of the downspout just before it turns toward the ground.
If you’re looking to hide from the elements or any area predators—
Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful by
those that fly nearby or our dog who thinks the backyard is his—it seemed to be the perfect location.
Until …
Until the storm. It blew in furiously sideways in the middle of a Sunday night. Winds and tree limbs noisily battering the backside of our house. And sadly, we awoke to a dislodged nest resting upside down on the ground below. And no more chirping.
“George, please, you gotta go check. Their nest is down. The wind blew it off its perch.
“And I just don’t know if those babies are ready.”
Don’t ask me why but while I was heading out to investigate this tragedy, her words echoed in my ears.
“I just don’t know if those babies are ready.”
It washed all over me because our houseguests were indeed awfully young to be thrust into the unknown. There was that—and the fact that we were also just days away from graduation season, forever my favorite part of working in schools.
Our diocese has 10 schools of such graduates. Some will graduate on to first grade. Or on to middle school. On to high school. On to college.
And my Facebook is full of so many of our alums who are simultaneously celebrating the pinnacle of their college careers.
Degree earned. On to life.
Blessed beyond measure, most of these kids have moms just like Madge. A mother who prepared a nursery for months in advance, selecting each piece with care. A mom-
Deacon Bob Hunt
ma who gave birth to them, hovered nearby, provided every meal, and shrieked at anyone or anything that seemed a threat.
It’s what we do. All of that and more, while slowly, carefully, adding in a few lessons and a small dose of independence now and again. Fully aware the day is coming when they will fly away from the safety and security of what they’ve known.
Thankfully, Madge and all her young’uns survived. I don’t know how. But all escaped the storm and none were found in or among the aftermath.
I’m not sure how it all went down, but I do know parents can do incredible, seemingly miraculous things when their children are threatened or in need.
For us humans, there’s something else we moms and dads do whenever our kids face an uncertain future.
We pray. Beg might be a better word. Calling out to the Father, asking Him to go where we cannot, to protect when we cannot, to give strength that we cannot. And to bring them safely home. Because first grade can be scary. So can life.
Dear God—Sometimes parents do too much, say too much, hover too much. But we can never love too much. Thank you for showing us how. Amen. ■ George Valadie is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga and author of the book “We Lost Our Fifth Fork … and other moments when we need some perspective.”
A saint with a devotion to the Eucharist
Francis of Assisi implored those in his order to ‘reverence, honor the most holy body and blood’
This year is the Eighth Centenary of the happy passage of St. Francis of Assisi from earthly life to his heavenly homeland on Oct. 3, 1226. Pope Leo XIV has established a special Year of St. Francis from Jan. 10, 2026, until Jan. 10, 2027, so that “every Christian faithful, following the example of the Saint of Assisi, may himself become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.”1 In this column, I want to share some of St. Francis’ writings on the Eucharist, for which he had a profound devotion.
In a letter to his new order, St. Francis wrote, “I implore all of you brothers to show all possible reverence and honor to the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in Whom that which is in the heavens and on the earth is brought to peace and is reconciled to the allpowerful God.”2 He urged reverence not only during Mass but also whenever Christ’s body was being carried from Mass: “When It [body and blood] is sacrificed upon the altar by the priest and carried to any place, let all the people, on bended knee, praise, glorify, and honor the Lord God living and true.”3
A major event during St. Francis’ life was the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215, which dealt with a number of abuses concerning the Eucharist. The Council prohibited the ordination of priests who were “ignorant and unformed” (Canon 27).4 It required consecrated hosts to be securely locked “so that no audacious hand can reach them to do anything
interest,” Father Orr said.
The arches of the old church’s front windows above its three entry doors as well as the arches above the side windows have stained glass. Those will be restored, Father Orr said.
The stained glass over the front doors on the original church have a couple of missing pieces to be repaired. One of those windows has apparently had different designs over the years, he noted.
“There are two different depictions of this window in old pictures,” the pastor said, going on to cite the Book of Numbers, chapter 21. “Moses and Israel were in the desert and the seraph serpents were about them and would bite them, and the Lord said make a seraph serpent and mount it on a pole. That was in one of the original windows up here, so we’ll see if we can have that fixed.”
Since the Ladies of Charity and the Byzantine Catholics left the old church, the building was basically “let go” and experienced “deferred maintenance,” Father Orr said.
At the dinner for the 100th anniversary on April 25 (see story that begins on page B1), parishioner Tom Bolen gave a talk on the vision
Daily readings
Friday, May 15: Acts 18:9-18; Psalm 47:2-7; John 16:20-23
Saturday, May 16: Acts 18:23-28; Psalm 47:2-3, 8-10; John 16:23-28
Sunday, May 17: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Matthew 28:16-20
Monday, May 18: Acts 19:1-8; Psalm 68:2-7; John 16:29-33
Tuesday, May 19: Acts 20:17-27; Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21; John 17:1-11
Wednesday, May 20: Acts 20:28-38; Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36; John 17:11-19
Thursday, May 21: Acts 22:30 and 23:6-11; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11; John 17:20-26
Friday, May 22: Acts 25:13-21; Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20; John 21:15-19
Saturday, May 23: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Psalm 11:4-5, 7; John 21:20-25;
horrible or impious” (Canon 20).5
And it forbade leaving “the service vessels and ministers’ vestments and altar cloths and even corporals so dirty that they at times horrify some people…. For it seems too absurd to take no notice of squalor in sacred things when it is unbecoming even in profane things” (Canon 19).6
St. Francis was committed to implementing these reforms. He urged the brothers to “consider the sad state of the chalices, the corporals, and the altar linens upon which the body and blood of our Lord are sacrificed. And [the body and blood of the Lord] is left by many in dirty places, carried about in a miserable manner, received unworthily, and administered to others without discretion….Are we not moved by a sense of piety concerning all these things, since the good Lord offers Himself into our hands and we handle Him and receive Him daily with our mouth? …wherever the most holy body of our Lord Jesus Christ has been unlawfully housed and neglected, let it be removed from that place and deposited and locked in a precious location.” 7
It was important, St. Francis said, to “guard the sacred vessels and other liturgical appointments so that we may impress upon ourselves the loftiness of our Creator and our subjection to Him.”8 Therefore, he exhorted the custodians (leaders), “Humbly beg the clergy to revere above everything else the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and His holy written words which consecrate His body. The
for Holy Ghost and the new parish center.
“I’ve been reflecting on how much Holy Ghost has meant to me and my family,” Mr. Bolen said. “My wife, Linda, and I have been attending Mass here for 54 years. Our children were baptized and received their first Communion and confirmations here. Two of them were married here. And when my mother passed away, we celebrated a memorial Mass for her here. For all of this, we are grateful.”
He said he was also “especially grateful to those Holy Ghost parishioners who, over 100 years ago, dedicated themselves and made sacrifices to build this beautiful church with its resplendent stainedglass windows and altars. This is a place of serenity, where we can converse with our Lord, have our sins forgiven in confession, and receive Jesus body, blood, soul, and divinity in Communion. Those men and women who so long ago sacrificed much to build this church. God has sanctified it and made it holy, and we are all the beneficiaries. Now it’s our turn.”
The need for more space at Holy Ghost has been around “for many years,” Mr. Bolen said, such as “a special place to celebrate wedding
vigil for Pentecost, Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:1-2, 24, 35, 27-30; Romans 8:22-27; John 7:37-39
Pentecost Sunday, May 24: Acts 2:111; Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23
Monday, May 25: Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 87:1-3, 5-7; John 19:25-34
Tuesday, May 26: Memorial of St. Philip Neri, priest, 1 Peter 1:10-16; Psalm 98:1-4; Mark 10:28-31
Wednesday, May 27: 1 Peter 1:1825; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; Mark 10:32-45
Thursday, May 28: 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12; Psalm 100:2-5; Mark 10:46-52 Friday, May 29: 1 Peter 4:7-13; Psalm 96:10-13; Mark 11:11-26
Saturday, May 30: Jude 17, 20-25; Psalm 63:2-6; Mark 11:27-33
Sunday, May 31: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Exodus 34:4-6,
chalices, corporals, appointments of the altar, and everything that pertains to the sacrifice must be of precious material…the most holy body of the Lord…should be placed in a precious location under lock and kept according to the mandate of the Church and carried about with great reverence and administered to others with discretion.”9
Echoing the Lateran Council’s concern for well-formed and holy priests, St. Francis reminded his priests “how holy, just, and worthy must be the person who touches Him with his hands, receives Him in his heart and mouth, and offers Him to others to be received. This is He Who is now not about to die, but Who is eternally victorious and glorified, upon Whom the angels desire to gaze.”10
St. Francis saw Christ’s presence in the Mass as a prolongation of the humility of the Incarnation. “See, daily He humbles Himself as when He came from the royal throne (Wisdom 18:15) into the womb of the Virgin; daily He comes to us in a humble form; daily He comes down from the bosom of the Father upon the altar in the hands of the priest. And as He appeared to the holy Apostles in true flesh, so now He reveals Himself to us in the sacred bread….as we see bread and wine with [our] bodily eyes, we too are to see and firmly believe them to be His most holy Body and Blood living and true. And in this way the Lord is always with His faithful, as He Himself says: Behold I am with you even to the end of the world.”11 I want to conclude with a passage
receptions, first Communions, confirmations, as well as other parish events like Mardi Gras, Advent by Candlelight, quinceañaeras, as well as events like tonight’s. We also need more space for continuing education in our faith. … Our parish and pastors have long recognized the dire need for more space. For over 10 years, they have been diligently looking for solutions, but because of COVID and the changing of bishops and pastors, this task has taken until now to complete a plan and get the approval process.”
Mr. Bolen said he was “very happy to announce that we have the approval of the diocese, the completed architectural plans, the cost estimates, the contractors, and most of the permits to begin, and in fact our Holy Ghost parish life center work has already begun. … This will include a new roof and new front doors. All the stained-glass windows both in the front and on the sides of the building will either be repaired or replaced. A handicap entrance with an elevator on the side facing the handicap parking lot will be installed. … This is much-needed additional room that will serve us well, now and into the future.”
The remaining $1.8 million for the project still needs to be raised.
8-9; Daniel 3:52-56; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18
Monday, June 1: Memorial of St. Justin, martyr, 2 Peter 1:2-7; Psalm 91:1-2, 14-16; Mark 12:1-12
Tuesday, June 2: 2 Peter 3:12-15, 17-18; Psalm 90:2-4, 10, 14, 16; Mark 12:13-17
Wednesday, June 3: Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs, 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12; Psalm 123:1-2; Mark 12:18-27
Thursday, June 4: 2 Timothy 2:815; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14; Mark 12:28-34
Friday, June 5: Memorial of St. Boniface, bishop and martyr, 2 Timothy 3:10-17; Psalm 119:157, 160-161, 165166, 168; Mark 12:35-37 Saturday, June 6: 2 Timothy 4:18; Psalm 71:8-9, 14-17, 22; Mark 12:38-44
Sunday, June 7: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of
that touches both mind and heart. “Let the whole of mankind tremble, the whole world shake and the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar in the hands of the priest. O admirable heights and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation He hides Himself under the little form of bread! Look at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him!”12 ■
1 files.ecatholic.com/34924/ documents/2026/2/Decreto_Indulgenza_Giubileo_Francescono-EN. pdf?t=1770919364000
2 Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, Translation and Introduction by Regis J. Armstrong, OFM Cap., and Ignatius C. Brady, OFM (Classics of Western Spirituality, N.Y.: Paulist Press, 1982), p. 56
3 Ibid, p. 53
4 www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum12-2.htm
5 Ibid
6 Ibid
7 Francis and Clare: The Complete Works, p. 50
8 Ibid, p. 59
9 Ibid, p. 53
10 Ibid, p. 57
11 Ibid, p. 26-27
12 Ibid, p. 58
Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@ dioknox.org.
“If each family will participate in the Holy Ghost Parish Life Center Building Campaign, it is feasible that we could pay this debt off in three years,” Mr. Bolen said. “And these are our goals: to have 100 percent of our parishioners participate and to pay off the remaining debt in three years. The formal kickoff of the funding campaign will be Sunday, May 3. Tonight, when you go home, consider an amount that you would be willing to pledge for this building fund over the next three years. In closing, I ask you to remember what our parish members sacrificed over 100 years ago to give us this holy church. And then ask ourselves, what are we willing to sacrifice to keep it thriving for the next 100 years?”
Marie Ward, chair of the 100thanniversary committee, spoke at the dinner of those who came before.
“When I was first told that they were going to be renovating the original church building, the thought that came to my mind was we were given a gift by these people who probably had great trials—life probably wasn’t easy, but they were willing to sacrifice, and we are able to benefit from those sacrifices. It makes me think as well, too, what
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Christ, Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; John 6:51-58
Monday, June 8: 1 Kings 17:1-6; Psalm 121:1-8; Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday, June 9: 1 Kings 17:7-16; Psalm 4:2-5, 7-8; Matthew 5:13-16
Wednesday, June 10: 1 Kings 18:2039; Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11; Matthew 5:17-19 Thursday, June 11: Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle, Acts 11:21-26 and 13:1-3; Psalm 98:1-6; Matthew 5:20-26
Friday, June 12: Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Psalm 103:1-4, 6-8, 10; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30
Saturday, June 13: 1 Kings 19:1921; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-10; Matthew 5:33-37 Sunday, June 14: Exodus 19:2-6; Psalm 100:1-3, 5; Romans 5:6-11; Matthew 9:36–10:8 ■
Renovation continued from page B3
and meeting times, visit www.myndhs. com/athletics/summercamps
Tennessee Right to Life will celebrate the four-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade with two events on Wednesday, June 24. Bishop Mark Beckman will join TRL members in a rosary for life at 9 a.m. in the prayer garden across from Planned Parenthood on Cherry Street in Knoxville. At 1 p.m. Central Time in Nashville, a new memorial to victims of abortion will be unveiled on Capitol grounds.
The Ulster Project is currently recruiting teens age 15 to host a teen from Northern Ireland in their home for three weeks this summer. The program includes service projects, shared worship services, leadership building, white-water rafting, a Dollywood trip, and more. Dates are June 26 to July 17. Host teen and host parent applications may be found at www.ulster projecteasttennessee.org. For more information, visit the website or e-mail ulstereasttenn@gmail.com
An Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Mission is set for Sunday through Tuesday, June 28-30, at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut. All are invited to learn more about the love and mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the grace and power of the enthronement. Father Richard McNally of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts will lead the three-day mission. To learn more, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lccte3@gmail.com, or scan the QR code in the ad on page A6 of this issue.
A fashion show benefiting the Ladies of Charity of Knoxville will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, in the St. Gregory the Great Auditorium at Knoxville Catholic High School. Drinks and appetizers will be provided. A $5 donation will be taken at the door. RSVP to ladiesofcharity knox@locktown.org or register at
Parish notes continued from page B8
information.
St. Joseph congratulated its graduates: J. David Curchy, Donovan Rainey, Kaden Reid, and Dylan Villeneuve.
Kody Hubbard, son of Tyler and Kennley Hubbard, was baptized on May 10.
A Mother’s Day potluck brunch provided by the men of St. Joseph followed Mass on May 10.
The Council of Catholic Women’s annual tea was held May 16 in the social hall. The service project for the event was collecting vases for the Random Acts of Flowers nonprofit. The CCW also sponsored an adult May crowning and a rosary after Mass on Ascension Thursday, May 14.
The parish took part in the Norris Community Yard Sale on May 2, sponsored by the Lions Club.
Five Rivers Deanery
Holy Trinity, Jefferson City
The annual Holy Trinity parish picnic will follow the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 31. Sign up in the narthex to volunteer or donate food items. Call Donna Dunn at 631-495-0031 for more information.
The annual display of “Flags on the Hill” at Holy Trinity, sponsored by the Council of Catholic Women, honored Armed Forces Day on May 16.
Anniversaries: Nicholas and Tonia Beachler (30), Abraham and Melissa Gossman (10)
Notre Dame, Greeneville
Twelve religious-education students had perfect attendance and 15 missed
Renovation continued from page B11
can we give as a parish community to those who will be here a hundred years from now?”
Donations to the parish life center project can be sent to the parish office at 111 Hinton Ave., Knoxville,
www.ladiesofcharityknox.org/event
Immaculate Conception Parish in downtown Knoxville will celebrate Irish heritage with its 17th annual Irish Fest on the Hill, set for 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8. Those attending may enjoy Irish food, drinks, dessert, and music and take part in a silent auction. A Gaelic games demonstration will be held. There will also be tours of IC Church, one of the oldest Catholic churches in the Diocese of Knoxville. The silent-auction wish list includes gift cards and certificates for restaurants, shops, experiences, etc.; services such as simple wills, spa treatments, teeth whitening, or dog grooming; and wine and spirits or jewelry. Drop off items labeled for the silent auction at the parish office or contact Juliet McVay at cwmcvay@comcast. net. To help set up, clean up, or decorate; sell tickets, food, and beer; or staff the Irish Fest booth, call Beth Wolf at 865-679-0535. Many sponsorship opportunities are available; call Becky Birdwell at 865-414-7430.
The diocesan Ministries Day is returning Saturday, Aug. 15, at All Saints Church in Knoxville. The day will be filled with talks, resources, and training for directors of religious education, OCIA leaders, youth leaders, and more. More details to come soon.
The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. Call Toni Jacobs at 561-315-5911 if you have any questions.
Catholic in Recovery is a 12-step recovery ministry that holds meetings each Monday at 7 p.m. at St. Dominic
only one day of R.E. classes this school year. Each student was awarded a waffle cone from Scoop Dog’s Creamery in Greeneville. See photos on page B9.
The Council of Catholic Women held an end-of-year picnic on May 17 in the parish hall.
The youth group’s picnic for fifth-grade through high-school students followed the 6 p.m. Mass on May 6.
Anniversaries: Mark and Martie Benko (55), Barry and Brenda Litchfield (25) Smoky Mountain Deanery
Immaculate Conception, Knoxville
Bishop Mark Beckman confirmed Victoria Fermanich, Skylar Hanna, Shiny Isezerano, Lincoln Manresa, Yasmin Ortega, Thomas Patiño, Scott Shubeck, and Gloria Williams at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on May 17.
The Spirit of Hecker Award, recognizing work that promotes and exemplifies the charism and mission of the Paulist Fathers, was presented recently to Nancy Brennan Strange.
Joseph Havugiyaremye, Eleanor Krause, and Lily Rhinehart received their first Holy Communion at the 10 a.m. Mass on April 26.
IC congratulated its graduating students this spring: Beatrix Francis Lane, kindergarten, Leonard Shanklin Elementary School, Luling, Texas, granddaughter of Danny and Susan Lane; Lily Kate McNutt, kindergarten, Northview Primary School, Kodak; Ethan Ryan, Ritta Elementary School, Knoxville, grandson of Pat Ryan; Andrew Calloway, Zayla Christof, Stella Hanna, Shiny Isezerano, Emma Long, Catherine Roovers, and Holden Sharp, St. Joseph School, Knoxville; Fiona
TN 37917. Checks should be payable to Holy Ghost Catholic Church with “new parish center” in the memo line. Online donations may be made by scanning the QR code at holy ghostknoxville.org/new-parishcenter. Architect renderings and
Church in Kingsport and each Sunday at 4 p.m. at All Saints Church in Knoxville. CIR provides hope and healing from addictions, compulsions, and unhealthy attachments. Family members impacted by a loved one’s addiction are also encouraged to attend. Meetings combine the spiritual principles of 12-step recovery and the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Join others in recovery as the meetings overlap Scripture from Sunday Mass readings, liturgical themes, and recovery topics with honest discussion and prayer. Confidentiality is protected. The St. Dominic gatherings are hybrid meetings, in person in the St. Thomas Aquinas Room of the parish life center or online at tinyurl.com/cir-zoom-tricitiestn. For more information, visit www. catholicinrecovery.com. For more details on the meetings at St. Dominic, contact Jena at cir.tricities.tn@gmail. com or call Oscar at 423-213-2434. For the meetings at All Saints, call Martin Ohmes at 865-438-4905 or e-mail CIR AllSaintsKnoxville@gmail.com
Join Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk on a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Shrines of Mexico Sept. 22-Oct. 1. The group will visit the Santuario de San Toribio Romo, built in honor of the Mexican martyrs of the 1920s; Cristo Rey, the second largest statue of Christ in the world; and the church of Santa Cruz de Los Milagros, where St. Junipero Serra stayed before his journey to begin the Franciscan Missions, which the group will visit before going on to Mexico City. There the pilgrims will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe; Tepeyac Hill, where Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego; and many other holy and sacred sites. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at 865-567-1245 or lisam@selectintl.com
A “Sacred Shrines of France” pilgrimage sponsored by Holy Family Parish in Seymour is set for Sept. 28-Oct. 8. Holy Family pastor Father Bill McNeeley will be the chaplain and
Marie McGovern, Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle, granddaughter of Gerry and Carol O’Farrell; Bailey Ryan, Gibbs High School, Corryton, granddaughter of Pat Ryan; Trevor Belanger, Sarah Belland, William Howell, George Mancini, Carter Muth, Carson Roovers, Coleman Sharp, and Placey Thompson, Knoxville Catholic High School; Natalie Kate Harris, L&N Stem Academy, Knoxville; and Adam Edward Waxmonsky, Dr. Paul L. Kelley Volunteer Academy, Knoxville.
The parish’s college graduates are Levi Marshall Waxmonsky, bachelor of science in digital media (December graduate), East Tennessee State University; Samantha Escobar, bachelor of science with a major in elementary education, Maryville College, granddaughter of Terry and Frank Aparicio; Shelby Leventhal, bachelor of arts in media studies, College of Communications, University of Kentucky; daughter of Mike Leventhal; Tucker Riley, bachelor of arts in communication studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and Katie Wade, master’s in therapeutic recreation, UTK, daughter of Cathy and Tommy Wade.
The Women’s Group donated $200 to the parish from the proceeds of a plant sale May 2-3.
The IC Bees contributed $120 to the parish from a quilt show. Maggie Heaton won a raffle quilt at the show, and first-place winners were Kathy Parrish, large quilt; Marilyn Reda and Karin Hoover, medium quilt; Cathy McKnight, small quilt; and Pat Ryan, wall hanging.
Sacred Heart, Knoxville
The cathedral has named a new director of evangelization & catechesis, parishioner Cody Stiner. Mr. Stiner is a lifelong Knoxvillian who lives in North Knoxville with his wife, Emily, and their
more details on the new center and parish history may also be found at the website. Renderings may also be found at gae96.com/project/ holy-ghost-catholic-church Father Orr at the dinner said that “Tom mentioned, ‘Now, it’s our
spiritual director for the pilgrimage, and Sherri McNeeley will be the group leader. Sites visited and saints focused on include Lourdes, Normandy/ Omaha Beach, Lisieux (Basilica of St. Thérèse), Rouen (St. Joan of Arc), Mont Saint-Michel, Chartres Cathedral, Paris (Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, Sacré-Coeur, Notre Dame Cathedral, Église Saint-Sulpice, the Shrine of St. Vincent de Paul, Gallery of the Kings, the Louvre, Saint-Chapelle, and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene), Nevers (St. Bernadette), Paray-le-Monial (Shrine of the Sacred Heart), and Ars (St. John Vianney). Cost is $5,650 for a double room or $6,649 for a single room. The land-only cost (no flights) is $1,000. For more information, visit www.canterburypilgrimages.com/ tour/14046 or scan the QR code in the ad on page A9.
Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport, is leading a retreat to Yellowstone National Park Oct. 11-16. The retreat will consist of daily wildlife watching led by professional wildlife guides, daily Mass and retreat sessions offered by Father Cummins, talks by park naturalists and wildlife experts, and days ending with dinner prepared by a local chef. Retreat cost is $3,100, not including airfare. For more information, call Roberta Somerville in the St. Dominic office at 423288-8101 or see the ad on page A4.
Father Julian Cardona, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City, and St. Thomas parishioner Jim Gecsei are leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land Oct. 17-27. Pilgrims will visit the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, the Mount of Beatitudes, Mount Tabor, Ein Karem, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and more. Cost is $4,695 for land only and $5,695 for land and group air. A solo room will cost an additional $1,395. For more information, contact Select International Tours at 800-842-4842 or mirela@select-intl.com, or visit select internationaltours.com or scan the QR code in the ad on page A16. n
two children, Haddie and Everett. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Franciscan University of Steubenville and is an incoming 1L student at the Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law. He has a background in volunteer leadership through teaching ministries, evangelization training, and catechetics, as well as experience in consulting focused on team development and collaboration. Mr. Stiner enjoys sports, philosophy, and music. He can be reached at cstiner@ shcknox.org
St. John XXIII, Knoxville
The Spirit of Hecker Award, recognizing work that promotes and exemplifies the charism and mission of the Paulist Fathers, was presented recently to Brad and Christine Croisdale.
The parish’s summer schedule began May 15 with no daily Mass or confessions on Fridays. Saturday Mass is at 5:30 p.m., Sunday Mass at 9 and 11:15 a.m., and confessions from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. The 5:30 and 9 p.m. Sunday Masses will return on Aug. 16.
St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville
The religious-education program at St. Joseph the Worker is sponsoring a Family Fun Festival from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, at the church. Proceeds will benefit the family life center project. To volunteer, call the parish office at 423-442-7273.
The parish celebrated first Holy Communion at the 11 a.m. Mass on May 16.
The Knights of Columbus held their annual Spring Flower Sale after Masses on April 25-26. Proceeds will benefit the council’s many charities it supports in Monroe and adjacent counties. n
turn,’ and I’ve used that phrase more than once. We can’t count on those who have gone before us to use the QR codes or write a check. If you can consider it, a sacrificial thing … this is a special opportunity we have.” ■
