November 2026 ET Catholic, B section

NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE

B section

‘I’m worthy because I’m not worthy’ Bishop Beckman ordains Nicholas Hickman to the transitional diaconate at the basilica By Dan McWilliams

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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eacon Nicholas Hickman’s path to holy orders almost never got started after he was born three months premature and not given a chance for a normal life. But that infant survived and is now one step away from the priesthood after Bishop Mark Beckman ordained him to the transitional diaconate on Oct. 24 at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. Doctors “actually suggested that my mom terminate the pregnancy, and praise be to God that my parents were not about that, you know, and they trusted in God and He brought me here,” Deacon Hickman said after Mass. The ordination took place in the deacon’s home church. “Brothers and sisters, today we gather in this Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, an appropriate place to celebrate such solemn rites, particularly since Nick, you grew up and were nurtured in this parish as a young person,” Bishop Beckman said in his greeting. “So, we ask the intercession of the Apostles Peter and Paul as we celebrate today these mysteries of the faith.” Basilica rector Father David Carter and diocesan vicar general Father Peter Iorio concelebrated the Mass, with some 15 additional priests and 10 deacons also taking part. Father Andrew Crabtree assisted Deacon Hickman during the liturgy. Diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith was deacon of the Gospel, and Deacon Hickman— after being ordained moments be-

‘God brought me here’ Bishop Mark Beckman lays his hands on the head of Nicholas Hickman and prays the prayer of ordination on Oct. 24 at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. Deacon Sean Smith (left) served as deacon of the Gospel at the Mass, and Deacon Hicks Armor (center) was master of ceremonies. fore—served as deacon of the altar. Deacon Hicks Armor was master of ceremonies. Benedictine priests and religious from Deacon Hickman’s two seminaries, Conception Seminary College in Missouri and St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana, also attended the Mass, as did seminary classmates of the ordinand. “There were over 20 people from the seminaries that came,” Deacon

Hickman said. “Father Denis Robinson is the rector of the seminary at St. Meinrad. He was here. Father Michael Reyes—he is a monk of St. Meinrad. And then Father Victor Schinstock, who is also rector of Conception Seminary, he was here. And Brother John Glasenap was my seminary representative, who was here as well from St. Meinrad.” Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus provided an honor guard

at the Mass. The first reading from Jeremiah 1 was proclaimed by Mary Portera and the second reading from Acts 6 by Chris Post. The Gospel reading was from Matthew 20:25-28. The election of the candidate followed the readings. “Let him who is to be ordained deacon stand, Nicholas Hickman,” said Deacon Smith. Mr. Hickman Deacon Hickman continued on page B2

New Catholic gift store opens in Knoxville By Bee Goodman

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he original bell from the 1876 church still hangs and rings in Knoxville’s newest Catholic gift store: Saint Clare Collective. It hung in a church that survived over a century of Sunday services and a string of tenants that included a countertop store, a yoga class, and, most recently, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu studio. Today it belongs to Saint Clare Collective, a new faithcentered gift store at 5902 Kingston Pike in Bearden. Its founder says her children love to ring it. “The original bell is from 1876, and you can still ring it today,” said owner Allie Fleming, who opened the store in the restored chapel next to Pelican’s SnoBalls. “My kids love to ring it.” The store celebrated its grand opening on All Saints Day, Sunday, Nov. 1. It has also been blessed by Father Danny Herman of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, a fitting start for a building that spent its first decades as a house of worship. For Mrs. Fleming, a mother of four and a longtime Sacred Heart parishioner, the shop is the result of a spring spent reconsidering her life, followed by a summer in which, she says, nearly everything fell into place.

A calling, then 100 days

Mrs. Fleming spent more than 15 years in corporate America. In May,

she decided to step back to focus on her family, her children, and herself. During that time, she said, she prayed and reflected on what to do next. The idea of a Catholic gift shop had long been in the back of her mind. “I felt this true calling that was pulling me to do it,” she said. “It was something I thought we needed. I knew my friends needed it.” What followed was a sprint. From the decision to launch to opening day, Mrs. Fleming says, about 100 days passed. In that time, she found a space, cleaned and renovated it, selected inventory, and opened the doors. Retail openings, especially ones that involve a century-old building, commonly take a year or more. Early on, she said, the logistics were handled in her own home. The inventory was sorted and staged in her dining room and garage. Mrs. Fleming said the speed convinced her she was on the right path. She and her husband, Jimmy, told friends over dinner how they had found the perfect space and that it happened to become available. Their friends’ reaction stuck with her. “They were like, ‘That’s not a coincidence. That’s the Holy Spirit working through you guys,’” Mrs. Fleming said. “Ever since then, it has just all so seamlessly fallen into place over those 100 days that it couldn’t be anything else.”

A building with a long memory The building was not on the mar-

BEE GOODMAN

The faith-centered Saint Clare Collective in Bearden breathes new life into an 1880s chapel

Helping hands Many friends and family helped with work done to open the new store. Owner Allie Fleming shared how it was no coincidence that the work was going fast—it was the Holy Spirit . ket when the Flemings first saw it. Their Realtor knew the owner, who agreed to let them look inside. The chapel, in Mrs. Fleming’s description, was in rough shape. There was no electricity. The space smelled, her husband said, “like a wrestlingroom, a sweaty locker room.” Blue mats had been bolted to the walls of the sanctuary, where students of the former studio had trained. The basement was damp and musty. The refrigerator was full of rotten food, and there was trash throughout. “We really cleaned this entire place up,” Mrs. Fleming said. Cleaning was the first job before making any plans for shelves or displays.

Beneath the grime, she said, was a building with what she calls “good bones”: beautiful wood, a handsome door, and the proportions of a real chapel. Left behind in the mess was also an original church pew that now greets customers as they enter the gift shop. The site’s history reaches back well into the 19th century. According to Mrs. Fleming, the original church, which she describes as the first Christian church in the Bearden area, started in 1876 in a building that stood to the right of the current structure. That building burned. The white chapel that stands today was built in 1924. The Saint Clare continued on page B3

answered, “Present.” Father Arthur Torres, assistant vocations director for the diocese, then spoke to Bishop Beckman. “Most Reverend Father, Holy Mother Church asks you to ordain this man, our brother, to the responsibility of the diaconate,” he said. “Do you know him to be worthy?” the bishop asked. “After inquiry among the Christian people and upon the recommendation of those concerned with his formation, I testify that he has been found worthy,” Father Torres said. “Relying on the help of the Lord God and of our savior, Jesus Christ, we choose this, our brother, for the order of the diaconate,” the bishop said. In his homily, Bishop Beckman spoke of the first reading at the ordination Mass. “The prophet Jeremiah, reflecting on his life, recognized that the Lord had called him and knew him from the very beginning of his life in this world. ‘You knew me, Lord, in the womb,’” the bishop said. “The deep awareness of Jeremiah, that God had chosen him and prepared him from the very first beginnings, is something, Nick, I know means a lot to you personally. For from the moment you were conceived in the womb of your mother and the circumstances surrounding your birth, you knew that the Lord had prepared you in a special way for His own call in your life.” Mr. Hickman “has been discerning that call as faithfully as did Jeremiah the prophet, and thanks be to God as Jeremiah said yes to the Lord, so you are saying yes to the Lord today,” Bishop Beckman said. “Thank you for that answer to the Lord. I also want to take a moment to recognize your family present here. It’s so good that you all are here today. “You are the first school of formation where Nick learned to be a human being and learned to love and to become the person that he is. So, I want to thank you for the gift that you all have given to our Church. I also want to take a moment to thank the formators from both Conception and St. Meinrad who are also represented today here in our church.” The bishop faced Mr. Hickman, seated in a front pew, as he delivered much of the homily. “For the last several years, Nick, you have been formed in your call as Jeremiah was formed in his call by the Lord, and you’ve had many opportunities to reflect on that call,” he said. “One of the things that it should remind all of us of is that from the moment the Lord claims us in baptism, every single one of us has an important call in the life of the Church. God has created us for some purpose, and we discover our happiness and joy when we discover that purpose and we say yes to the Lord. Nick, thank you for reminding us today by your yes that we are called again and again to say yes to God’s call.” Bishop Beckman said that the term “transitional deacon” is “a bit of a misnomer because the word ‘deacon’ connects us with Christ the

servant, and that part of our call of being a servant of God’s people will remain with you, Nick, beyond your ordination to the priesthood and throughout your life, a powerful reminder. As the Lord Himself said in the Gospel today, the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” The order of deacons “reminds us of the profound depth of service to which all of God’s people are called,” the bishop continued. “St. Anthony Mary Claret today in the Office of Readings spoke about the humble charity to which the people of God are called. Nick, as a deacon, you preeminently are called to be a servant as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself served. The Apostles probably did not forget that the Lord had summoned them, as Matthew puts it today, to remind them of that central lesson. ‘You know how the Gentiles lord it over others. The great ones make their importance felt. It cannot be like that with you.’ “You are called to be the least and to serve all. The Apostles did not forget the words of the Lord because when the Hellenists began to complain that people were not being well served, the Apostles recognized it was time for a new beginning, undoubtedly inspired by the Holy Spirit, and thus began the order of deacons in the Church.” The order of the diaconate had “a humble beginning of service at table that has now become a service not only of table but also of the proclamation of the Gospel, the Word of God,” Bishop Beckman said, adding that what “the Order of Deacons and indeed the Christian life are really all about” is seen “in the humble way that we serve each other.” St. Anthony Mary Claret “today also talks about the zeal that we need. Our hearts on fire with love— that is what motivates authentic service,” the bishop said. “The love of Christ that has been poured into our hearts, which we are called to share with everyone we meet. “Nick, as you become deacon, may that fire of the Lord’s love for you burn bright in your heart. And may that charity animate your service to God’s people. And may the Lord who has begun such a beautiful and good work in you, bring it to fulfillment through Christ our Lord. After the homily, Bishop Beckman led Mr. Hickman in making the promises of the elect. “Dear son, before you proceed to the order of the diaconate, you must declare before the people your resolve to undertake this office,” the bishop said. “Do you resolve to be consecrated for the ministry of the Church through the laying on of my hands and the gift of the Holy Spirit? Do you resolve to discharge with humble charity the office of the diaconate so as to assist the priestly order and to benefit the Christian people? Do you resolve to hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, as the Apostle says, and to proclaim this faith by word and deed according to the Gospel and the Church’s tradition? “Do you resolve to keep the commitment of celibacy perpetually as a sign of the dedication of your life

DAN MCWILLIAMS (4)

Deacon Hickman continued from page B1

‘Pray for us’ Nicholas Hickman prostrates himself before the altar during the Litany of the Saints at his ordination Mass. Kneeling next to him are Deacon Sean Smith and Bishop Mark Beckman.

Stole and dalmatic Deacon Hicks Armor vests newly ordained Deacon Nicholas Hickman at the Oct. 24 Mass in Chattanooga.

‘Receive the Gospel of Christ’ Bishop Beckman presents the Book of the Gospels to Deacon Nicholas Hickman as part of the ordination Mass. Looking on are Deacon Sean Smith (left), Father Andrew Crabtree, and Deacon Hicks Armor. to Christ the Lord, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven in service to God and others? Do you resolve to guard and increase the spirit of prayer proper to your way of life and in keeping with the Spirit and the circumstances of your life to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours with and for the people of God and indeed for the whole world? Do you resolve to conform your manner of life always to the example of Christ, whose body and blood you will handle at the altar?” The ordinand answered “I do” to each question before the last one, to which he responded, “I do, with the help of God.” Mr. Hickman also promised respect to the bishop and his successors. “May God who has begun the

Outside the basilica Bishop Mark Beckman, in back with Deacon Nicholas Hickman, poses for a photo with priests and deacons of the Diocese of Knoxville and visiting clergy following the ordination Mass. B2 n NOVEMBER 2026

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good work in you bring it to fulfillment,” Bishop Beckman said. The Litany of the Saints followed, as Mr. Hickman prostrated himself before the altar. “Lord God, mercifully hear our prayers and kindly accompany with your help what we are about to do by virtue of our office. Sanctify with your blessing the one whom in our judgment we believe worthy to be offered for the exercise of sacred ministries through Christ our Lord,” the bishop said after the litany. Bishop Beckman then placed his hands on Mr. Hickman and prayed the prayer of ordination. Deacon Armor vested the new deacon with a stole and dalmatic. The bishop presented the Book of the Gospels to Deacon Hickman. “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach,” the bishop said. At that moment, the bishop and the other deacons present embraced Deacon Hickman, who then helped prepare the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Bishop Beckman at the end of Mass expressed “my gratitude to Father David Carter and the people of the basilica for hosting us today. It is good to have an ordination of one of your native sons right here. And congratulations, Deacon Nicholas, for your ordination to the diaconate,” a remark that was followed by a round of applause. The bishop referred to the ordination run-through the day before the Mass. “Yesterday, as we were practicing, I was teasing a bit with Deacon Nick, and I said, when we got to the question ‘Do you judge him to be Deacon Hickman continued on page B9 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Saving what could be saved

The restoration was a family and community effort. Mrs. Fleming, her husband, their four children, and a number of relatives and friends worked on the building, and repurposing original pieces became a guiding principle. The most demanding project involved the bookshelves. In the parish office on the other half of the building, which Mrs. Fleming does not lease, were built-in wooden bookcases that were about to be torn out and thrown away. She asked if she could take them. “Each one of those is so unique and challenging because they’re all different sizes,” she said. “To take them apart and put them all back together up here, it wasn’t like this was the exact layout down there.” The reconstructed bookcases now hold merchandise in the shop. An original church pew has also found a home inside, along with the historic bell. “It’s been challenging,” Mrs. Fleming said, “but it’s been so rewarding at the same time.”

Neighbors at the front doors

As work progressed, neighbors began stopping by. According to Mrs. Fleming, a couple buying snow cones next door heard activity in the chapel and came over to look. The woman had been baptized in the building. “She was so excited to see that we were bringing it back to life,” Mrs. Fleming said. The visitor contacted her mother, a member of one of the church’s founding families whose father helped build part of the chapel. The mother later visited the building herself. Members of Friends of Cavett Station, a nonprofit that preserves Mars Hill Cemetery at Historic Cavett Station, also volunteered their time and effort during early stages of the project. The Bearden Historical Society has since become involved, Mrs. Fleming said, and is working to tell the chapel’s story and to help preserve the cemetery behind it. Terry Faulkner, a Friends of Cavett Station board member, said the group was glad to see the chapel’s details preserved. “For many years, this chapel was a

Family and faith Owner Allie Fleming is a proud wife and mother of four: daughter Grace, 10, and sons (from left) Joseph Patrick, 4; Sully, 6; and James 8, pictured with husband Jimmy Fleming. All have shared the excitement of the opening of Saint Clare Collective.

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place where congregants gathered and built community,” Mrs. Faulkner said. “Too many historic buildings and traditions are torn down and erased. Saint Clare Collective is a lovely next chapter in the legacy of this historic Bearden chapel.” The shop’s name comes from two places. Saint Clare of Assisi, the follower of Saint Francis who founded the Poor Clares, has long been a saint Mrs. Fleming looks up to because of her devotion to her faith. The name also honors the St. Clare Guild, the women’s guild at Sacred Heart that Mrs. Fleming joined after moving back to Knoxville while pregnant with her first child. The guild gave her what she describes as a sense of community she needed without realizing it. “That’s what I wanted to build here,” she said. “A sense of welcome, faith, community, gathering— the home feeling that I got when I was in St. Clare.” The last word in the name is just as deliberate. A collective, she said, reflects how carefully each item was chosen and how she hopes to bring other people into the project. She is already working on that second goal. A local painter was scheduled to visit the shop this week to show Mrs. Fleming her work, which Mrs. Fleming hopes to carry. Three of Mrs. Fleming’s four children attend the cathedral’s elementary school, Sacred Heart Cathedral School, and the fourth is in the preschool, which all four have attended since infancy. The couple’s connection to the cathedral parish runs through nearly every part of their family life. Mrs. Fleming said the work has also deepened her own faith. Researching saints she had not thought about in years, she said, has been like relearning her Catholic upbringing, and she has passed those lessons on to her children and her friends.

BEE GOODMAN

Why Saint Clare

Welcome bell The original bell from the 1880s chapel still hangs and rings in the renewed home of Saint Clare Collective.

BEE GOODMAN

congregation drew worshipers from around the Knoxville area, and the building served as a Korean Christian church until 2002. After that, it changed hands and uses repeatedly. It was at various points a countertop store, a place where Mrs. Fleming’s own friends claimed to once practice yoga, and a Maker’s Mark location, before becoming the jiu-jitsu studio that was its most recent occupant. At one point, the chapel nearly disappeared altogether. Mrs. Fleming said it was purchased with the intention of demolishing it, along with the neighboring blue snow-cone house, to make way for a Taco Bell. Attempts to sell the white building to someone who could move it off the property were difficult and costly, she said. The plan was abandoned when the developers found they could not fit in a drive-thru, in part because of the historic cemetery behind the property, where several prominent local families were buried beginning in the 1800s.

Variety The newly opened store welcomed many shoppers to take in its variety of Catholic gifts on opening day Nov. 1, All Saints Day. for keepsakes meant to mark life’s most important moments, she said. A high-quality rosary given as a gift, she added, is something a person can feel and touch before buying.

What’s on the shelves

Inventory is broad, running from the devotional to the whimsical. Religious offerings include Bibles and devotional books, crosses and crucifixes, medals, pendants and rosaries, icons, statues, art and holy cards depicting Christ, Mary, and the saints as well as Nativities, Advent wreaths, and devotional candles. The shop also stocks gifts, keepsakes, and clothing for sacramental milestones such as baptism, first Holy Communion, and matrimony. Confirmation items are already on display, and Mrs. Fleming has Lent, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, and the first Communion season in mind for the months ahead. The general inventory is deliberately wider. It includes home décor, women’s clothing and jewelry, University of Tennessee and other sports-themed items, seasonal ornaments, mahjong sets and accessories, children’s toys, and handmade and small-batch pieces by local and out-of-town makers. One section is all Mrs. Fleming’s own doing. The Lantern & Lily corner holds one-of-a-kind found objects and vintage pieces, thrifted from estate sales and secondhand finds across East Tennessee. Mrs. Fleming has long enjoyed hunting for such items and giving them what she calls a second home. “Most of them I want to keep for myself,” she said, “but I have to put them back out for this store.” The store is not exclusively Catholic, and Mrs. Fleming said that is intentional. The shop carries Christian, spiritual, and entirely secular

Filling The Paraclete’s place, in her own way

The shop arrives in a community that has been missing a dedicated Catholic gift store since July 2024, when The Paraclete closed after 37 years in Knoxville. The closing initially looked like part of a national trend, as Catholic book and gift stores faced growing competition from online retailers. Mrs. Fleming was a frequent Paraclete customer, and she said the store was the place she went when she needed a quick gift. When her nephew was confirmed, for example, it was easy to stop in and pick something up. She does not describe Saint Clare Collective as a replacement, however. “My goal was never to replicate The Paraclete,” she said. “I wanted to be Saint Clare Collective.” The aim, she said, was to carry forward what was valuable about the older store while making it “modern, with my own twist on it,” and to meet what she believes her friends, family, the Sacred Heart community, and Knoxville’s wider Catholic community have always wanted. Mrs. Fleming also believes the tide has turned against pure online shopping. “I didn’t want to buy another generic item from a website, unsure of the exact color or material or the quality at all,” particularly

COURTESY OF THE FLEMING FAMILY

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merchandise. “We are proud of both our faithbased offerings and universal products,” she said, “and we welcome people of all and any faiths and none whatsoever who may want to browse our diverse selection.” The atmosphere feels far from a 9-to-5 corporate retailer. Each item is especially curated from Mrs. Fleming and her family and goes through the hand of a person who has dedicated the space to their Catholic faith. Though regular hours have yet to be announced, those with questions can follow Saint Clare Collective on Facebook and Instagram at @Saint ClareCollective. Mrs. Fleming also shares that if the open sign is hanging out front, then the doors will be open for business.

‘Welcome and warm and invited’

Mrs. Fleming says her goal for each customer is simple: “I want everyone to feel welcome and warm and invited,” she said. Some stores, she said, feel stiff and cold, and shoppers want to hurry out. She hopes people will linger at Saint Clare Collective, whether they are shopping for themselves or choosing as a hostess, baptism, or holiday gift, and that they will find something they were not looking for. “I think the store is less about what is in our inventory and more about why it was selected: to bring joy, comfort, peace, inspiration, and beauty to your home, your family, your life, and to those with whom you share these gifts,” Mrs. Fleming said. Her sense that the project was meant to happen has only grown. “I think the Holy Spirit is just like, ‘I know what you’re doing, so I’m going to work with you,’” she said. ■

BEE GOODMAN

Symbols of faith Saint Clare Collective offers a variety of jewelry pieces symbolizing the faith such as the Sacred Heart, a cross, angels, and more.

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Parish notes Chattanooga Deanery

on Friday, Nov. 13, in the parish hall.

Holy Spirit, Soddy-Daisy Monsignor Al Humbrecht’s next book study will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the church. The book is Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy. To sign up, visit www. holyspiritsoddydaisy.com. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga Dr. Kelly Kearse will give a presentation on “Science and the Shroud of Turin” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12. The Women’s Advent by Candlelight event will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13. OLPH hosted the 12th annual diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Festival on Sept. 26, the eve of the saint’s feast day. Father David Carter, rector of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, celebrated Mass and spoke at the festival. St. Jude, Chattanooga The St. Jude Star Tree is a Christmas ministry supporting families with young children through the Ladies of Charity in Chattanooga. Parishioners can choose an envelope from the tree in the church vestibule, enclose cash, a check payable to the St. Jude Home and School Association (HASA), or a gift card, then place the envelope in the collection box beside the tree. Envelopes should be returned by Monday, Nov. 23. A poinsettia fundraiser is being held through Monday, Nov. 30, to benefit Boy Scout Troop 172. Order forms are in the vestibule. The annual Alternative Gift Project, set for Dec. 4 through Jan. 30, will benefit St. Jude’s twin parish in Gros-Morne, Haiti. Gifts may include books for schoolchildren, help for farmers, salary for a Haitian teacher, religious-instruction books, fuel to run generators, or a Christmas donation that can cover many needs. Forms are available at the church, or donations can be made at stjudechattanooga.weshareonline. org. St. Mary, Athens

The parish’s annual Harvest of Blessings, hosted by women’s ministries and to be held after all weekend Masses on Nov. 14-15, will include baked goods and a Santa’s Gift Shop, where children can shop for $2 items for their siblings, parents, and grandparents. Donate items such as small toys, stuffed animals, mugs, tools, gift bags, and tissue paper and deliver them to the office by Friday, Nov. 13. Volunteer at tinyurl. com/uhashwx6. For more information, e-mail tina.amick@gmail.com. Deacon John Elshaw will present “Spiritual Direction: What Is It & Why Should I Consider It?” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in room B of the parish hall.

The parish’s All Saints Day celebration on Nov. 1 included Trunk or Treat, a St. Vincent de Paul food drive, music by the Tennessee Swing Orchestra, and a fundraiser—featuring hot dogs, chips, sodas, and baked goods—for Girl Scout Troop 22135. COURTESY OF KIMBERLY TOBY

Blessed Sacrament, Harriman The Knights of Columbus hosted a spaghetti dinner on Nov. 7. The Dominican Sisters gave a presentation on St. Mary School in Oak Ridge at the end of Masses on Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

St. Francis of Assisi, Fairfield Glade Pastor Father Michael Woods complimented parishioners for their efforts in celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi.

The Social Action Ministry thanked parishioners for their generous contributions. The group recently made a donation of $2,500 to the St. Alphonsus Community Services (SACS) food bank.

Anniversaries: James and Sandy Mullin (61), John and Judy Czerwonka (52) Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga The basilica hosted the Lorelei Truett Memorial Blood Drive on Nov. 7, in memory of a parishioner who passed away of leukemia in 2021 at the age of 14. Sts. Peter and Paul on Oct. 22 celebrated the memorial of Pope St. John Paul II as well as the 15th anniversary of the inauguration of the church as a minor basilica.

Cumberland Mountain Deanery All Saints, Knoxville The Prime-Timers group will have a game day from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, in room B of the parish hall. The group’s annual Thanksgiving dinner is set for 6 p.m. B4 n NOVEMBER 2026

St. Patrick parishioners honor law enforcement, first responders For Michaelmas on Sept. 29, the feast of the archangels, parishioners of St. Patrick in Morristown donated snacks and drink packets for local law enforcement and first responders. Volunteers from a few ministries came together to put together goodie bags. A Mass was celebrated that day in honor of first responders. The Harrah family wrote notes of encouragement for each goodie bag and delivered them to police and fire stations.

The parish Angel Tree is for those who need help in providing Christmas presents for their children 18 and under. Contact the office at 865-882-9838 or blessedsacramentoffice@gmail.com for details.

An “Envelope Challenge” with a goal of raising $37,000 exceeded that mark with $40,953 donated. Funds will be used for parking-lot repair and an Internet upgrade, and will help pay off an insurance bill.

A Knights of Columbus memorial Mass took place on Nov. 2.

gious-education center; n Dedicated meeting and music rooms; n A fully equipped community kitchen; n A multipurpose social hall; n Updated and expanded church offices. St. Joseph the Worker Parish is experiencing record growth and now serves more than 530 families across a three-county region that includes Madisonville, Englewood, Tellico Plains, Sweetwater, Philadelphia, Loudon, Tellico Village, Rarity Bay, Vonore, and western Blount County. A reception will follow the groundbreaking. ■

Tom Charron, on All Saints’ patronal feast day of Nov. 1, gave parishioners an opportunity to venerate the relics of 40 saints.

The youth ministry from St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville provided luminaries for St. Francis of Assisi Parish on Oct. 31 and on All Souls Day.

The Ladies Auxiliary will host Aubrey Gray, manager of the Maclellan Shelter in Chattanooga, at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12.

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t. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville is celebrating the official groundbreaking ceremony for its new family life center at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Diocesan vicar general Father Peter Iorio, assisted by Deacon Hicks Armor, will join St. Joseph the Worker pastor Father Julius Abuh, parish-council members, parishioners, and local community leaders and supporters for the event. The new 12,000-square-foot family life center will be constructed as an addition to the existing church structure on the parish’s 17-acre campus in Monroe County. The major expansion will include: n A significantly enlarged reli-

The Social Action Committee distributed tags for the Christmas Giving Tree following Masses on the weekends of Nov. 1 and 8.

The Knights of Columbus will host their annual Spaghetti Bingo in the parish life center following the 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday, Nov. 21. The Knights are also sponsoring a drive this month to collect new or gently used coats, hats, sweaters, scarves, and gloves.

St. Stephen, Chattanooga

St. Joseph the Worker breaking ground on family life center

The Book of Remembrance is carried to the altar on weekends in November.

The Knights of Columbus and the Social Action Ministry are collecting food for Thanksgiving boxes to benefit the poor in Cumberland County. A 33 Days of Eucharistic Glory spiritual pilgrimage, led by Father Daniel Cooper and Mary Maeder, began Nov. 3 and will continue Nov. 10 and 17. Consecration will take place at the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Nov. 22.

COURTESY OF ISABEL ROMAN

Trunk or Treat at St. Thérèse of Lisieux has All Saints theme St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland hosted an All Saints Trunk or Treat on Oct. 28. Above, Ariana Roman is dressed as an angel and Mateo Meza is dressed as Pope Leo XIV. The parish event brought together many families to celebrate the lives of the saints in a fun and faith-filled way.

The St. Francis of Assisi Christmas Giving Tree program will again help children in Cumberland County. Ethel Wagner’s tree, a Council of Catholic Women project for gifts, began Nov. 6 and continues through Jan. 6. Anniversaries: Mike and Susan Spitler (64), Eugene and Janet Standaert (62), Wayne and Alice Duckstein (59), Jack and Twyla O’Kane (57), Fred and Donna Laufenberg (56), John and Ruth Hughes (55), Donat and Terry Renaud (55), Mark and Diane Lasance (50), James and Robin O’Hara (50), Robert and Laurie Powers (45), Robert and Sandra Stowasser (45), David and Lynne Harty (45), John and Geraldine Gendall (40), Michael and Natalie Stendardo (35), Gene and Mary Collins (25) St. John Neumann, Farragut The parish will honor Veterans Day Parish notes continued on page B8

COURTESY OF DENISE CLARK

Care of Creation Team picks up trash in West Knoxville Members of the Creation Care Team at All Saints Parish recently collected nine bags of trash along Cross Park Drive from Cedar Bluff Road to Bridgewater Road in West Knoxville. Miscellaneous car and awning parts were also removed from the roadside. The group, which was recently honored by Keep Knoxville Beautiful for its cleanup and recycling efforts, will host another pickup in the spring. To learn more about Creation Care Team projects or to join in the next pickup, e-mail denise.clark16@aol.com.

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Calendar Bishop Mark Beckman invites young adults ages 18-35 to explore “Encountering Jesus in the Gospels” at meetings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on selected Tuesdays at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery. The series began Sept. 8 and continues Nov. 10 and Dec. 8, with dates subject to change because of the bishop’s schedule. More dates will follow. Attendees are invited to bring their own beverages and snacks. Register at dioknox.org/ encountering-jesus-updates. 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 and Father Arthur Torres 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 Nov. 28. 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. The first Sunday of Advent is Nov. 29. Advent is the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year and the season leading up to the celebration of Christmas. Visit dioknox.org/advent for resources to help you prepare your hearts and minds as a community, as a family, and as an individual during this season. The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is holding its annual Share the Warmth Drive. Supporters can donate new or gently used warm clothing for men, women, and children of all ages. The following items are being accepted in all sizes: coats and jackets, sweaters, gloves and mittens, new socks, hats and scarves, and blankets. Items may be dropped off through Friday, Dec. 4, in a bin at the reception desk of the Chancery office, 805 S. Northshore Drive in Knoxville. The clothing will be distributed to clinic patients in December. For more details, call 865-212-5570 or e-mail lconnor@smlcares.com. As part of the Implementation Phase of the Synod on Synodality, the Diocese of Knoxville will host a diocesan synodal gathering from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The event will focus on helping guide the ongoing synodal journey within the diocese. More information can be found at dioknox.org/synod. The Diocese of Knoxville’s new Special Friends ministry is sponsoring a sensory-friendly Mass on the last Saturday of each month. The next liturgy is at 4 p.m. on Nov. 28 in the chapel at Knoxville Catholic High School. The ministry provides support and resources to those with special needs and their caregivers. For more information, e-mail DKSF@dioknox.org. A free information session on “A Natural Approach to Family Planning,” presented by the St. Elizabeth’s Holistic Facility center for reproductive health, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. The session will provide an introduction to the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. The Creighton Model offers women looking to monitor their hormonal health, achieve pregnancy, or space births naturally a path forward that honors the teachings of the Church. E-mail Ashley Searle, fertility care practitioner intern, at ashley@stelizabethsfertility. com for more information. The Ladies of Charity of Knoxville are having a “Keep the Lights On: The Power of Compassion” fundraising event on Friday, Nov. 13. Bishop Mark Beckman will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. at Holy Ghost Church, with a luncheon to follow at the Ladies of Charity’s upstairs meeting room at 120 W. Baxter Ave. Music will be provided by a Knoxville Catholic High School choir. The fundraiser supports individuals and families in the community who need assistance with their utility bills during the winter months. The Pope St. John Paul II Creative TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

Workshop Series will host its inaugural event, a Poetry of Prayer Writing Workshop, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Chancery in Knoxville. In his Letter to Artists, St. John Paul II wrote that God calls the artist to share in His creative power, contemplate creation, give thanks, and raise to God a hymn of praise. Materials and refreshments will be provided at the workshop. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Register at dioknox.org/ events/the-poetry-of-prayer-writingworkshop. Learn more at the website or e-mail Sarah McCarthy at marriage. family@dioknox.org. The event is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life. Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville will hold its annual Haiti Fest from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15. Those attending can learn the kompa and mérengue dances and enjoy barbecue and other Caribbean favorites. All proceeds will support IC’s sister parish in Fond des Blancs, Haiti. Learn more or register at dioknox.org/ events/haiti-fest-2026.

Equestrian Order members receive promotions of rank Three parishioners of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Arlette Haddad (top photo, left) and Alan and Sally Sefton, received promotions of rank in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem at the order’s annual investiture Oct. 23-24 at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh, N.C. Archbishop William E. Lori (left photo), who serves as Grand Prior of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy, conferred the rank of Dame Commander upon Ms. Haddad, the rank of Dame Grand Cross upon Mrs. Sefton, and the rank of Knight Grand Cross upon Mr. Sefton.

“Apostles on Mission,” a 10-week program through the Catholic Apostle Center that allows participants to deepen their relationship with Christ, discover their gifts, and actively live out their faith in the Church and the world, will begin on Monday, Nov. 16, at the Chancery in Knoxville. Meetings will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. each Monday through Dec. 14. Topics covered include: a personal encounter with Jesus, baptismal call and mission, discernment, apostolic vocation, liturgy and spirituality, evangelization, missionary discipleship, and collaboration and co-responsibility. Cost is $25. Register at dioknox.org/events/apostles-on-mission/ 20261116. For more information, e-mail Mallory Louque at mlouque@dioknox.org. A virtual option will be available in the spring. Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow in Knoxville will host its Cultura Vitae lecture series at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Deacon David Duhamel, executive director of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, will speak on “Extending Chesterton’s Love of the Little Man: The Church’s Teaching on Treatment of Immigrants.” The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus will host the Knoxville Chamber Chorale at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, part of the Cathedral Concert Series. The chorale director is John R. Orr and Leslie Hill is the accompanist. The program will feature the sacred and choral music of Tomás Luis de Victoria, William Byrd, Christopher Aspaas, Emile Deedes-Vincke, Patrick Hawes, Jeffery James, and more. 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 events will also be livestreamed, recorded, and archived with access available at youtube.com/c/ SacredHeartCathedralKnoxvilleTN. St. Patrick Parish in Morristown will celebrate St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, with a play, music from a variety of choirs, and Hispanic food in a free event at the parish center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. Proceeds of food and beverage sales will support the parish.

JIM RICHMOND (2)

Holy Ghost picnic benefits parish life center project Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its current church building, held its annual picnic on Sept. 26. Proceeds of the event benefited the development of the original Holy Ghost Church next door into a parish life center. The picnic featured face painting, a multi-language rosary, a three-legged sack race, tug of war, a ring toss, cornhole, horseshoes, and a piñata, with hot dogs and hamburgers to eat plus live music and a ministry fair.

St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga will hold its 13th annual Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, in the Hofstetter Gym. More than 45 local crafters and artisans will take part, offering items that include stained glass, jewelry, art, pottery, homemade breads, canned goods, and more. The Knights of Columbus will provide lunch. Vendor registration forms may be found in the outer vestibule or at stjudechattanooga.org.

COURTESY OF RALEIGH COOPER

The Legion of Mary and the Council of Catholic Women will host a Holiday Classic Family Movie Night at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, featuring the 1945 movie The Bells of St. Mary’s. Calendar continued on page B8

St. Jude Knights receive Star Council Award Knights of Columbus Council 8576 at St. Jude Parish in Chattanooga recently received the Star Council Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in membership growth, insurance participation, council programs and activities, and overall council operations. Earning the distinction marks Council 8576 as a highperforming council and reflects the standard toward which every Knights of Columbus council strives. Above, District Deputy Karl Nesmith presents the award to past Grand Knight Gary Gabor as current Grand Knight Lee Norris looks on.

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Praying for Perspective

by George Valadie

An imaginary journey along the 32nd parallel God created one planet; we’ve let geography, politics, and religion tear it apart

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t’s late afternoon, it’s dark, and I don’t like it. Today is the first day since we transitioned away from Daylight Saving Time, so daily sunset here now arrives much earlier than I’d prefer. I’m a huge fan of daylight and sunshine, as much as I can get, whenever I can get it. So, I’ve found myself sitting here, thinking back somewhat longingly to summer and sunlight and a vacation Nancy and I got to take this past July. Several years ago, she found a hotel on Hilton Head Island that’s become our go-to whenever we can save up enough money to get away for a few days. We pack our own bagels and Diet Coke and snacks for the room. We don’t do putt-putt. We don’t rent bikes. We don’t do much of anything except sit at the pool and fight the evening crowds for a dinner reservation. We always bring beach chairs, but I’m the only one who ever goes. When I do, it’s always late afternoon, accompanied by some music, a book, and a hat for my bald spot. I don’t know who they were or where they were from, but just down the beach a ways was a family of five—just like ours had once been. A mom, a dad, and their three girls. And—just as we had once done—they were engaged in some combination of sunbathing, castle building, and Frisbee tossing. Cartwheels and handstands were big, too. Sometimes all of it at once. All while feeling a touch uneasy about but still hoping for the arrival of that one really good giant wave.

“Mom, Dad, here it comes, here it comes!! Watch this! Watch this!!” I also found myself staring out at the expanse of the ocean lapping at my feet and suddenly wondering. If I get up out of this chair, dive into that one big wave and start swimming due east across the Atlantic, where exactly will my travels take me? Who and what lies out there straight ahead? What are they doing? What are their lives like? Not that good a swimmer, I took my wonderings to Google instead. And it tells me that Hilton Head, S.C., sits at the 32nd parallel, specifically 32.20 degrees north of the equator. It’s amazing what other parts of the world you will also find at this same line of latitude. Bermuda would be my first stop for sure. I’ve never been but I’ve always wanted to go. Then onward where I would eventually encounter the sights and sounds of Benghazi in Libya, Tel Aviv in Israel, and on to Amman in Jordan. Never been to any of those either. But it also turns out that if I were to forge ahead on my due eastward journey, I would eventually find myself in Iran, in the city of Shush, in the province of Khuzestan. Or what’s left of it. It was July and the current war was in full throttle. A few miles down the road from Shush is Isfahan, a nuclear site previously targeted in Operation Midnight Hammer. Regardless of your opinions about the wisdom or benefits of this military event (“event” being the least political word I know to describe what is and has been happening),

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful

regardless of your take—surely we can all acknowledge that innocent people always suffer as a result of bombs and blockades and bloodshed. Some live there; some live here. And there are always innocent people. Guilty of nothing. And not just in Iran. Families of five a lot like ours—schoolteachers and doctors and machinists and shop clerks— moms and dads and kids—whose misfortune was to be born into a certain region of the world. In light of our country’s capabilities to inflict damage—and of that I’m pretty sure the reports are accurate—I’m guessing not many Iranian families get to vacation at the beach anymore. I hope I’m wrong, but I have a hard time picturing Iranian children doing cartwheels and handstands. “Mom, Dad!! Watch this! Watch this!!” I honestly have a hard time imagining they have much joy at all. But if they can, there are a couple of local options for fishing and sightseeing. But all are located on the coastline of that body of water currently impacting most of the world: the Persian Gulf. Ironically, 2,000 years ago, the Son of God preached about a different water. More ironically, he walked along this very same parallel of latitude. One journey in particular took Him from Judea, in the south, to Galilee, in the north. And between those two regions lies the land of Samaria. There were multiple routes available, but most Jewish travelers avoided Samaria altogether, often

choosing the “long way ’round” so as to avoid the inevitable hostilities that would result. But Jesus intentionally chose the direct path. One that took Him straight through the chaos so He would meet the Samaritan woman at the well where He revealed to her and the world the “living water” only He can give. And yes, Jacob’s Well still sits there, on the very same line of latitude as my beach chair on Hilton Head Beach. I had been pondering where my imaginary trip might lead if I were to travel directly east. And unexpectedly discovered I might possibly arrive in the middle of some pretty frightful conflict. I probably wasn’t going anyway. Definitely not going now. Jesus chose the opposite. He purposefully walked directly into Samaria, into the middle of a much older conflict, one born generations before, fueled by a religious division. Armed only with a message of peace. I wonder about the places I’ve never been. I wonder how the Samaritan woman’s life changed after encountering the Christ. I wonder what happens to innocent families. I wonder will it ever end? Dear God—She came looking for water; she left with a message of hope. May we hear it as clearly as she did. 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.”

by Deacon Bob Hunt

There are several reasons to oppose death penalty The state’s Catholic bishops implore Gov. Lee to commute Christa Pike’s sentence

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n Sept. 30, after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee refused her clemency, prison officials at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville carried out the state’s attempt to execute Christa Pike. An IV was obtained in the 50-year-old Ms. Pike and a lethal dose of pentobarbitol was injected into her vein. Even still, Ms. Pike continued to breathe and have a heartbeat. The all-female team of executioners administered a second lethal dose of pentobarbitol. Amazingly, Ms. Pike continued to breathe and have a heartbeat. At this point, prison officials removed the unconscious Ms. Pike from the execution chamber and transferred her to Vanderbilt University Center. Those who had, only an hour before, attempted to kill Ms. Pike were then desperately trying to save her life. There have been a handful of convicted killers who have survived attempts to execute them by lethal injection that failed because the prison staff could not obtain an IV on them. Ms. Pike is reported to be the first person in the history of the United States to survive an execution attempt by lethal injection after the lethal drug was administered. Christa Gail Pike was convicted in 1996 of torturing and killing 19-yearold Colleen Slemmer in January 1995. Ms. Pike and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, 18 and 17 years old, respectively, at the time, met Miss Slemmer at a Job Corps program for troubled youth. Pike came to believe that Ms. Slemmer was attempting to steal her boyfriend, which motivated the torture and murder. Investigators reported that Ms. Slemmer endured a lengthy beating and torture,

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that a pentagram was carved into her chest, and that Ms. Pike took a piece of her skull as a macabre souvenir. A third person involved in the torture murder, Shadolla Peterson, also 18 at the time, turned state’s witness and received parole. Mr. Shipp was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. Only Ms. Pike was sentenced to death. In 2008, Ms. Pike’s latest request for a new trial was denied. The Monday after the attempted execution, Ms. Pike’s attorneys reported that it was their understanding that Ms. Pike was brain dead and that life support would be terminated the next day. To everyone’s surprise, however, including that of her medical team, Ms. Pike woke up the next day and began talking. Gov. Lee has placed a moratorium on executions for the remainder of the year while an investigation into the botched execution of Christa Pike is underway. Russell Spivey, one of Ms. Pike’s attorneys, explained that Ms. Pike is “angry and confused about everything right now. She is very aware that the state tried to execute her.” Her attorneys have filed a request to Gov. Lee that her sentence be commuted to life in prison and that the state never attempt to execute her again. The bishops of Tennessee representing the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Episcopal Church, and the Roman Catholic Church signed a joint statement urging Gov. Lee to commute Ms. Pike’s death sentence. Stating that the events surrounding the failed attempt to execute Ms. Pike makes their appeal “even more urgent,” the bishops explained to Gov. Lee that “Our churches have long and consis-

tently opposed capital punishment … We believe that every human being bears the image of God and therefore possesses a dignity that even the most grievous sin cannot erase. We believe in accountability, but we also believe in repentance, redemption, mercy, and the possibility of transformation. As Scripture reminds us, God ‘desires mercy, not sacrifice’ (Matthew 9:13).” In a statement just the next day, Oct. 2, the three Catholic bishops of Tennessee, Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, and our own Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville called for, not merely the commuting of Christa Pike’s death sentence, but an end to capital punishment. Titled “Replace the Death Penalty with Life without Parole,” the bishops wrote, “The Tennessee Catholic Conference calls on the state of Tennessee to choose a different path in responding to the most heinous crimes: replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This path serves justice, protects society, and respects the dignity of every human life. Catholic moral teaching recognizes that even those who commit terrible crimes retain their human dignity. Accountability for grave wrongdoing is necessary, but it does not require the taking of another life. The bishops of Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville have long maintained that society can be protected, and serious crimes punished, without resorting to execution.” There are several reasons to oppose the death penalty. First, it does not represent true justice. True justice demands that what was taken be returned. In the case of taking a

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human life, this is obviously impossible. Second, the death penalty is administered unequally. Those convicted of heinous crimes who are racial minorities are more likely to receive the death penalty than those convicted who are white, even for similar crimes. Those convicted of killing a white person, or white people, are more likely to be sentenced to death than those convicted of killing a person who is not white. According to The Death Penalty Information Center, “More than 75 percent of death-row defendants who have been executed were sentenced to death for killing white victims, even though in society as a whole about half of all homicide victims are African American.” Third, while in the past it may have been justified to take the life of one who threatened harm to society if they escaped, today our technology is such that we can securely imprison people for life with much greater success, so that killing the criminal is no longer necessary to protect society. Fourth, if the goal is to punish, life in prison fulfills that goal. To kill a criminal when it is possible to adequately hold him or her accountable for their crime without killing them is simply to kill seeking revenge. But our Lord says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19). Finally, and this is the most important in my mind, is that by executing a prisoner, we are telling him or her, “You have until this date to get yourself right with the Lord. If you do, great! If you don’t, we will kill your unrepentant self!” To me, that is unconscionable. Only God has the authority to tell a person how much Deacon Hunt continued on page B10 TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

Encountering God in the Liturgy

by Father Randy Stice

The priest’s words that you don’t hear at Mass The quiet prayers are a reminder of the holiness necessary to celebrate the liturgy

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his month, I want to look at what you don’t hear at Mass. In the Mass, the priest proclaims three different kinds of texts. First, he proclaims the orations, the Eucharistic Prayer, and other prayers in the name of the Church and the assembly. Second, when he says the words of consecration over the bread and wine, the words that Christ spoke at the Last Supper, the priest “puts his voice at the disposal of the One who spoke these words in the Upper Room.”1 Third, “at times he prays only in his own name, asking that he may exercise his ministry with greater attention and devotion.”2 He says these prayers quietly, so they are not heard by the congregation. This month, I want to look at a few of these prayers. The first prayer I want to consider is the prayer said by the priest after he has said the prayers blessing God and placed the bread and wine on the altar. Making a profound bow, he says, “With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.” This prayer, which has been part of the Mass for over a thousand years, is taken from the Book of Daniel. In the midst of the fiery furnace, Azariah prayed on behalf of himself and his friends Shadrach and Meshach: “But with contrite heart and humble spirit let

us be received; as though it were burnt offerings of rams and bulls, or tens of thousands of lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your presence today and find favor before you; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame” (Daniel 3:39-40). Exiled in Babylon, cut off from the Temple and its sacrifices, “Azariah asked instead that their own hearts might serve a fitting sacrifice to the Lord.”3 The Lord answered their prayer by making “the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it” (Daniel 3:50). This is the priest’s personal prayer that he and all “who participate may offer a genuine sacrifice, and, imitating the sacrifice of Christ, they may be one with the gift offered.”4 Following this prayer, the priest washes his hands. The washing of hands was practiced in Judaism and the early Church, and there is evidence from the fourth century that the hand-washing was done “at the very start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist as a symbol of the interior purity with which one wanted to enter into the sacred mystery.”5 While washing his hands, the priest expresses his personal “desire for inner purification,”6 saying quietly, “Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” This is taken from Psalm 51, David’s prayer after he sinned with Bath-

sheba, asking, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” (51:4). Before Communion, the priest quietly prays for his own worthy reception of the body and blood of the Lord. He has the choice of two prayers. The first dates from the ninth century and was widely used during the Middle Ages: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your death gave life to the world, free me by this, your most holy body and blood, from all my sins and from every evil; keep me always faithful to your commandments, and never let me be parted from you.” This prayer is notable for its emphasis on the Paschal Mystery as the work of the Trinity, the need to be freed from sin and evil, and the desire for fidelity and unity with the Lord. It is a concise description of God’s saving work and the desire for salvation. The second option is from the 10th century: “May the receiving of your body and blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to judgment and condemnation, but through your loving mercy be for me protection in mind and body and a healing remedy.” The reference to “judgment and condemnation” is an allusion to St. Paul’s warning to the Corinthians that the one who receives commu-

nion in “an unworthy manner … eats and drinks judgment upon himself” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). This prayer is the priest’s plea for mercy, protection, and healing. These prayers said quietly by the priest are a reminder of the holiness necessary to celebrate the holy sacrifice of Mass. They also touch on important aspects of the Mass: sacrifice, protection, and healing. And they encourage the priest to cultivate diligently the dispositions necessary for a fruitful celebration of the Mass: humility, contrition, freedom from sin, and fidelity to God. These prayers are important in shaping the priest’s eucharistic piety and informing his celebration of the Mass, but they can be fruitfully used by the faithful outside of the liturgy for meditation and devotional prayer. ■ St. John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 7, italics original 2 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), 33 3 Mystical Body, Mystical Voice, p. 164 4 Ibid 5 The Mass: An Historical, Theological, and Pastoral Survey, p. 189 6 GIRM, 76 1

Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@ dioknox.org.

TN4Life Banquet puts spotlight on pregnancy-support centers

Daily readings Sunday, Nov. 15: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalm 128:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 Monday, Nov. 16: Revelation 1:14 and 2:1-5; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Luke 18:35-43 Tuesday, Nov. 17: Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, religious, Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22; Psalm 15:2-5; Luke 19:1-10 Wednesday, Nov. 18: Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150:1-6; Luke 19:11-28 Thursday, Nov. 19: Revelation 5:110; Psalm 149:1-6, 9; Luke 19:41-44 Friday, Nov. 20: Revelation 10:8-11; Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; Luke 19:45-48 Saturday, Nov. 21: Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Revelation 11:4-12; Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10; Luke 20:27-40 Sunday, Nov. 22: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

COURTESY OF BILL HEWITT

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ore than 200 supporters filled the Ron Ramsey Regional Agricultural Center in Blountville to capacity on Oct. 3 for the annual TN4Life Banquet benefiting East Tennessee pregnancysupport centers and their mission of providing life-affirming services to women, children, and families. The evening began with guests browsing a variety of silent-auction items displayed throughout the facility, including an ATV. Peter Nelson, president of TN4Life and master of ceremonies, welcomed attendees, introduced honored guests, and recognized the individuals, businesses, and organizations represented through the banquet’s 29 sponsored tables. The dinner blessing was given by Deacon Mike Jacobs of St. Mary Parish in Johnson City before guests enjoyed a meal of filet mignon, baked potato, salad, and dessert. Following dinner, keynote speaker Deacon Frank Fischer of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport delivered a message emphasizing the importance of supporting women and families facing challenging pregnancy-related decisions. He highlighted the critical role pregnancy support centers play in providing compassionate guidance, practical assistance, and hope.

Affirming life Members and guests of Knights of Columbus Aldo J. Zazzi Council 6992 in Kingsport attended the TN4Life Banquet on Oct. 3 in Blountville. From left are Marybeth McGarvey, Gary McGarvey, Lena Hewitt, Bill Hewitt, John Cruz, Janet Cruz, and Mickie Waschysak. Mr. Cruz, a Council 6992 Knight, served as a table sponsor for the event. Not pictured is council Grand Knight Mark Pendley. Joe Kerns, executive director of Pathways Pregnancy Resource Center in Bristol, Tenn., shared personal stories illustrating the life-changing impact of pregnancy-

support centers throughout East Tennessee and the difference made through community support and volunteer involvement. Pastor Paul Miller of Calvary Cha-

pel Tri-Cities gave the closing prayer. Event organizers expressed gratitude to the banquet’s many sponsors, donors, volunteers, and partner organizations. ■

17; Psalm 23:1-3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46 Monday, Nov. 23: Revelation 14:1-5; Psalm 24:1-6; Luke 21:1-4 Tuesday, Nov. 24: Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, and companions, martyrs, Revelation 14:1419; Psalm 96:10-13; Luke 21:5-11 Wednesday, Nov. 25: Revelation 15:1-4; Psalm 98:1-3, 7-9; Luke 21:12-19 Thursday, Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Day, Sirach 50:22-24; Psalm 145:2-11; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19; readings for the Thursday of the 34th week in Ordinary Time, Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23 and 19:1-3, 9; Psalm 100:1-5; Luke 21:20-28 Friday, Nov. 27: Revelation 20:1-4 and 20:11–21:2; Psalm 84:3-6, 8; Luke 21:29-33 Saturday, Nov. 28: Revelation 22:17; Psalm 95:1-7; Luke 21:34-36 Sunday, Nov. 29: First Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 63:16-17, 19 and 64:2-

7; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37 Monday, Nov. 30: Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle, Romans 10:9-18; Psalm 19:8-11; Matthew 4:18-22 Tuesday, Dec. 1: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Luke 10:21-24 Wednesday, Dec. 2: Isaiah 25:6-10; Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 15:29-37 Thursday, Dec. 3: Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, priest, Isaiah 26:1-6; Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27; Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Friday, Dec. 4: Isaiah 29:17-24; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; Matthew 9:27-31 Saturday, Dec. 5: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26; Psalm 147:1-6; Matthew 9:35– 10:1 and 10:5-8 Sunday, Dec. 6: Second Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 85:9-14; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8 Monday, Dec. 7: Memorial of St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the

Church, Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85:914; Luke 5:17-26 Tuesday, Dec. 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Psalm 98:1-4; Ephesians 1:3-6, 1112; Luke 1:26-38 Wednesday, Dec. 9: Isaiah 40:2531; Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10; Matthew 11:28-30 Thursday, Dec. 10: Isaiah 41:13-20; Psalm 145:1, 9-13; Matthew 11:11-15 Friday, Dec. 11: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-4, 6; Matthew 11:16-19 Saturday, Dec. 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Zechariah 2:1417; Judith 13:18-19; Luke 1:26-38 Sunday Dec. 13: Third Sunday of Advent, Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11; Luke 1:46-50, 53-54; 1 Thessalonians 5:1624; John 1:6-8, 19-28 Monday, Dec. 14: Memorial of St. John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church, Numbers 24:2-7, 1517; Psalm 25:4-9; Matthew 21:23-27 ■

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NOVEMBER 2026 n B7

Calendar continued from page B5 Pizza and light snacks will be served. High-school students are invited to “Called to Be Great,” a diocesan youth conference centered on a personal call to holiness, at Camp Ba Yo Ca in Sevierville Dec. 4-6. The event will feature guest speakers and musicians. Contact your parish youth director to register. Registration for the event closes on Friday, Nov. 13. The event has an initial $50 deposit, with $250 as the total cost to attend. Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville will host a Bethlehem Marketplace from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12. Those attending can walk through the market with Joseph, Mary, and their donkey, enjoy samples of food and drink, visit with barnyard animals, make unleavened bread and clay oil lamps, play traditional games, and more. “Taxes” will be collected in the form of canned goods to be donated to the Greene County Food Bank. SEEK 2027: Ever Ancient, Ever New, a five-day conference hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), is set for Jan. 1-5 in Columbus, Ohio. Thousands of Catholics come together at SEEK to encounter Christ through prayer, adoration, the sacraments, and inspiring speakers. Learn more, register, or download a fundraising template at dioknox.org/ events/seek-2027. A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend retreat will be held at Ponderosa Cabins in Knoxville from Jan. 22-24, beginning Friday evening and concluding Sunday afternoon. Marriage Encounter allows couples to create a dialogue with each other and with God, and to create a higher and broader understanding of what it means to be married. While faith is a powerful part of this process, the focus of the Marriage Encounter experience is on the ups and downs of married life. Married couples of any denomination, mixed faith, or without religious affiliation are welcome. Marriage Encounter is faithful to the Catholic Church’s definition that marriage is a covenant that exists between one man and one woman. For registration or additional information, contact Brandi at Brandirad@gmail.com. The 16th annual Knoxville Catholic High School Green & Gold Gala is set for Saturday, Jan. 23, at Cherokee Country Club. Bruce and Tami

Parish notes continued from page B4 with an event on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Coffee and doughnuts will be served in the school cafeteria followed by a program in the gym to recognize veterans. Knights of Columbus Ted Denning Council 8781 is holding its ninth annual Coats for Kids Drive. Since 2018, the parish has provided more than 950 new coats. The coats are delivered to children in need at St. John Neumann School, other Farragut schools, and Jellico Elementary School, as well as in Erwin. Neumann Young Adults is sponsoring a Thanksgiving potluck social at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, in the school cafeteria following the vigil Mass in the church. The women of the parish are celebrating Advent by Candlelight at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 23, in the school gym. The evening will include reflections on the Advent Sunday Gospel readings and Advent music performed by the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary, Gratia Below, and Laura Chapman. Register by Wednesday, Nov. 18. RSVP or learn more by e-mailing sjnccwomensclub@ gmail.com. A Women’s Advent Retreat, themed “The God of My Past, My Present & My Future,” is set for the weekend of Dec. 4-6 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Father Bo Beaty and the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary will be the presenters. The event offers talks, Mass, and time for confession, adoration, and small-group discussion. Cost is $125 for a shared room. Register by Saturday, Nov. 21, at tinyurl. com/2njycu7t. E-mail srelizabeth@ sjnknox.org for more information. The parish senior ministry has a “Lunch B8 n NOVEMBER 2026

Hartmann will be honored as “Irish Legends” at the event, which includes an auction. Visit the gala website at tinyurl.com/36xbnwv5 to learn about sponsorships or purchase tickets. To become a sponsor or obtain more information, e-mail Elisa Crawford at Elisa. Crawford@knoxvillecatholic.com.

by youth, to youth, and for youth, all under the guidance of a team of adult mentors. Register by Wednesday, Jan. 13, at dioknox.org/events/searchjan-2027. Cost is $100, and scholarships are available if needed. Another SEARCH retreat is set for Feb. 19-21 at St. Mary Church in Johnson City.

A Picture of Love retreat for engaged couples is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Chattanooga. A vigil Mass will be celebrated during the retreat. This marriage-preparation program is a supplement to a couple’s marriage formation with their parish priest or deacon. Picture of Love explores the joys and challenges of living out the sacrament of matrimony with special focus on the importance of inviting Jesus to be the center of marriage and family life. The program will help a couple gain insights into their relationship, as well as give them practical ideas and tools to help smooth their journey and become the “Picture of Love” to one another. Participants who complete the program will receive a certificate to present to their county clerk and receive a $60 discount on their marriage license. The marriage license is valid for 30 days from issuance and is good for ceremonies performed anywhere in Tennessee. Cost is $175 per couple. Registration will be available soon at dioknox.org/events/pictureof-love-retreat-jan-2027. Late registrations are accepted if space allows (cost is $200). Also at the website are three exercises: a personality test, a “love language profile for couples,” and a fillable budget worksheet. Couples are asked to complete the exercises in advance and bring them to the retreat—see the website for more details. Contact Carolyn Krings at 865-584-3307 or ckrings@ dioknox.org for more information.

St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland is hosting a free Parish Lenten Retreat on Saturday, Feb. 13. The retreat will begin with Mass at 8:30 a.m., followed by light refreshments in the parish life center at 9 and a presentation featuring Catholic speaker and author Kevin Matthews at 10:15. Mr. Matthews was one of the nation’s most recognized radio personalities in the 1980s and ’90s before he was diagnosed with a debilitating illness and lost his job. He stumbled upon a broken statue of the Virgin Mary that would change his life forever. Mr. Matthews has written two books, Broken Mary: A Journey of Hope and Mary’s Roadie: My Travels with Mary the Mother of Jesus, and produced the movie Broken Mary: The Kevin Matthews Story. Registration for the retreat will be available soon. The event is sponsored by St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Women of Faith CCW, and Knights of Columbus Queen of Heaven Council 4572.

A SEARCH for Christian Maturity weekend retreat, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry, will be held Friday through Sunday, Jan. 2931, at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Cleveland. The weekends are open to high-school juniors and seniors of any denomination or creed. The SEARCH program is rooted in the Catholic faith and provides an opportunity to think, talk, question, and wonder about life and faith in an accepting and challenging environment. It is an opportunity to experience God and God’s family in a personal and real way. The weekend is youth- and peer-oriented: it is run

and Learn” event set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14, at the West Knox County Senior Center, 239 Jamestowne Blvd. in Farragut. A light lunch and a facility tour will be provided. A Family Adoration and Potluck Social took place on Oct. 27.

Our Lady of the Mountains Rosary Guild meets one Sunday each month at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, with the next meeting set for 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 13 in Seton Hall. The group also meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on first and third Wednesdays in room 517 at Sacred Heart Cathedral School, with the next meetings planned for Nov. 18 and Dec. 2. The guild works to place rosaries into the hands of those longing for prayer, peace, and hope— both locally and throughout the world. For more information, contact the guild at olmrgknoxvilletn@gmail.com or visit www.olmrgknoxvilletn.org. 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.

Union Temple Baptist Church in Chuckey for a “Thanksgiving with Friends” event on Saturday, Nov. 21. Supporters can provide a cooked, deboned turkey, make a side dish or dessert, or prepare, serve, and deliver meals. Sign up in the narthex or contact Nancy Clark at 423327-0112 or clarkn@comcast.net. St. Mary, Johnson City

St. Joseph, Norris Parishioners will take part in a Thanksgiving ecumenical service at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22, at Norris United Methodist Church. George Quinter, a St. Joseph parishioner, has provided his collection of first-class saint relics for veneration during November. They are located on the St. Joseph altar to the right of the sanctuary.

Five Rivers Deanery Holy Trinity, Jefferson City The parish is helping Appalachian Ministries of the Smokies with its Coats for the Cold drive. Unused coats, blankets, hats, mittens, or scarves may be donated. Items should be in a bag and placed in the Coats for the Cold box in the narthex by Sunday, Nov. 29.

The Young Adult Ministry is collecting new or gently used coats, jackets, socks, gloves, blankets, sleeping bags, beanies, and other cold-weather items. Place donations in the gray collection box in the gathering area by Sunday, Nov. 29.

Smoky Mountain Deanery Immaculate Conception, Knoxville The Women’s Group will hold its annual Craft Fair Nov. 14-15 in the parish hall. Those interested in a booth should contact Beth Meyer at 865-456-8857 or meyer.beth73@gmail.com. To donate a theme basket for the fair, e-mail Pat Ryan at 4065patryan@gmail.com.

A pilgrimage to EWTN and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Alabama is planned for Wednesday through Friday, Jan. 20-22. A bus will depart in the morning on Jan. 20 and travel to EWTN’s studios in Irondale, where the group will celebrate Mass with the friars, have a box lunch on site, and be given a one-hour guided tour of the studios. The travelers will be part of the live audience for a taping of “EWTN Live” with Father Mitch Pacwa before they board a bus to the St. Bernard Abbey Retreat Center in Cullman, Ala. On Jan. 21, the group will visit the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, which will include a tour of the shrine and the new John Paul II center, Mass, and a rosary with the nuns of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. There will be time for adoration and quiet reflection before the group returns home on Jan. 22 following Mass at St. Bernard Abbey, breakfast, and a visit to the Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman. The cost is $350 per person based on double occupancy, with a single supplement available for $425. Payment must be received in full by Dec. 20 and covers two nights at St. Bernard Abbey Retreat Center, all bus-related costs, two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, and the grotto entrance fee. To learn more or register, contact Lisa Morris at lccte3@gmail.com or 865-567-1245. Father Michael Cummins, rector of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, will lead “In the Footsteps of St. Paul: A Pilgrimage to Greece” June 15-26. Visit trips.selectinternationaltours.com/c/selectinternational-tours/27ja06grlm for more information. Father Mike Nolan will lead a pilgrimage to South America Oct. 11-21, 2027. The group will visit Chiclayo, the city in Peru where Pope Leo XIV served as an Augustinian missionary and later as bishop, then journey to Cusco and Machu Picchu. The pilgrims will fly to Brazil and visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida, which is named for the patron saint of Brazil and is one of the largest Catholic churches in the world, and travel to Rio De Janeiro to visit the Church of Our Lady of Lapa for Mass. The group will ascend Corcovado Mountain to stand beneath the outstretched arms of the Christ the Redeemer statue, then ride a cable car to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain for views across Guanabara Bay. For more information, contact Lisa Morris at lisam@selectintl.com or 865-567-1245. n

be collecting canned meat, tuna, and applesauce over Thanksgiving weekend for Family Promise, which helps homeless families. Canned goods can be dropped off in the narthex at the church Nov. 28-29. The CCW will host Advent by Candlelight on Monday, Nov. 30, at the church. The event will help women prepare for Advent with a musical prelude by parish musicians, readings from and reflections on the four Sunday Gospels of Advent, and a Benediction, all in a subdued light setting. Sacred Heart, Knoxville Cody Stiner will be stepping away from his position as the cathedral’s director of evangelization and catechesis to focus on law school full-time. Parishioner Barry Walsh will succeed him. Cathedral rector Father Michael Cummins celebrated the annual Veterans Mass on Nov. 8, honoring veterans and those serving in the armed forces. St. John XXIII, Knoxville

Knights of Columbus Council 645 is sponsoring a baby-bottle drive to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center. Bottles filled with spare change, cash, or checks payable to Catholic Charities should be returned to the locked collection box in the narthex by Sunday, Nov. 15.

The annual Thanksgiving dinner is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20. Sign up in the lobby. The parish needs nine turkeys, cooked and sliced, as well as side dishes and items for the annual bingo game.

Anniversaries: Tim and Kathy Jackson (35), Andy and Kathy Watts (25), Michael and Holly Hogan (20)

Parishioner Dr. Al Hazari held his 36th annual Chemistry Magic Show on Oct. 27 at Buehler Hall on the University of Tennessee campus.

The Women’s Group will have a bake sale after all weekend Masses on Nov. 21-22.

Notre Dame, Greeneville

Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa

The Council of Catholic Women will join

The Council of Catholic Women will

The Council of Catholic Women will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Trinity Hall. A potluck lunch will conclude the meeting.

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St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

The Knights of Columbus’ ninth annual Christmas concert featuring the Rarity Bay Rare Notes is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, at the church. n TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C

News from around the diocese

BILL BREWER

St. Francis-Townsend’s St. Vincent de Paul conference providing meals On Wednesday, Nov. 18, the St. Vincent de Paul conference at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Townsend will provide 130 Thanksgiving dinners for its neighbors in need. The bags pictured contain a complete meal, including a turkey, rolls, butter, and all the extras. Standing guard above are JoAnne Romer-Aylward and Ilene Rainwater. Praying for Colombia Bishop Mark Beckman receives the gifts at the Mass for Colombia, and Father Jhon Mario Garcia delivers the homily.

Cathedral hosts healing Mass for Colombia after deadly quake St. Francis of Assisi, Townsend; Father Diego Rivera, Sacred Heart; Father Renzo Alvarado Suarez, Our Lady of Fatima, Alcoa; Father Arthur Torres, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Chattanooga; and Father Miguel Velez, St. Patrick, Morristown. Many of those priests concelebrated the Mass at the cathedral, and Father Garcia gave the homily. “May the Lord bless Colombia. May he strengthen all those who have been affected, comfort those who have lost their loved ones, and protect those who continue working to rescue, help, and rebuild,” Father Garcia said. “And may St. Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, our patroness, accompany all the families who suffer today. May she, who remained at the foot of the cross of her Son, remain also beside all those who today carry a cross of pain.” To contribute to the earthquake victim relief fund, visit dioknox.org/ special-collection-for-colombiadisaster-relief. ■

Deacon Hickman continued from page B2

to spend more time with them, so we started coming here for Sunday Mass.” The basilica’s parishioners “raised me,” the deacon said. “Being ordained here and serving the people of God at this parish this weekend as a deacon, it seems very fitting.” Deacon Hickman gave the homily at the 9 and 11:30 a.m. Masses at the basilica on the day after his ordination. The most special part of the ordination Mass for Deacon Hickman was when he prostrated himself before the altar. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel during that moment, but my prayer during that time was just trying to completely give myself over to God,” he said. “Just that physical posture to match the spiritual posture was pretty powerful.” Deacon Hickman’s parents are Brent and Barbara Hickman. They attended his ordination along with his brother, Zachary, and wife Dania Carmical, and his maternal grandparents, longtime basilica parishioners Jack and Mary Cooper. The ordinand spoke of the circumstances of his birth. “I was born three months premature. My mom’s water broke a month before that. I have a scar on the back of my head after my mom had an emergency C-section,” he said. “They cut the back of my head open. The umbilical cord was around my neck during that time. One of the doctors broke their foot during all of this, run over with a gurney. Several doctors told my parents that because of the water breaking early and me being so premature that I probably was not going to have much of a life.

worthy?’ he said, ‘I’m worthy because I’m not worthy.’ What a perfect answer, Deacon Nicholas, and so true,” Bishop Beckman said. The bishop also thanked Deacon Hickman’s family for their presence at the ordination. “I’m very grateful for you and also for all of our folks representing Conception and St. Meinrad. You all do an excellent job of forming young men for the priesthood. I’m so grateful for that. Keep up the great work,” Bishop Beckman said. “I had the blessing of visiting both seminaries last year and enjoyed very much that direct experience of what our young men are going through. “It’s also wonderful to have so many of your classmates here today, Deacon Nick, and folks from your seminary experience—what a gift that is as well as all of our priests and deacons here in this Diocese of Knoxville. I’m grateful to the Lord for all of you, and all of us play an important role in the kingdom of God. Thank you for all of your great yeses to the Lord.” A reception downstairs in Varallo Hall followed the Mass. Deacon Hickman said his new title is “surreal.” “I’m very humbled for what just happened. It’s amazing,” he said. The newly ordained man formerly attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Chattanooga. “I grew up right across the state line in Ringgold, Ga. I grew up going to OLPH. Father Mike Nolan was my pastor,” Deacon Hickman said. “And then when my grandparents moved from Soddy-Daisy to downtown Chattanooga, we wanted TH E EAST T E N N E S S E E C AT HO L I C

DAN MCWILLIAMS

Knights provide music at St. Stephen Parish picnic The Midlife Crisis Knights of Columbus band performed at the annual parish picnic at St. Stephen in Chattanooga on Oct. 24. The event was sponsored by the parish council. Knights Council 6099 cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for the picnic.

Council 6992 Knights attend memorial Mass

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embers of Knights of Columbus Council 6992 gathered on Nov. 3 at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport for a memorial Mass honoring deceased Knights. Associate pastor Father Anselm Adu celebrated the Mass and preached the homily. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Brother Knights, spouses, families, friends, and St. Dominic parishioners who joined us for this

solemn and memorable evening. Your presence and prayers made the occasion all the more meaningful,” said council Grand Knight Mark Pendley. “To our beloved St. Dominic Parish family, thank you for your unwavering support of our council and its mission. We are truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful faith community and look forward to continuing this meaningful tradition of remembrance and prayer for generations to come.” ■

DAN MCWILLIAMS

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ishop Mark Beckman presided at a Mass for healing and rebuilding for the people of Colombia on Sept. 3 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, following the devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake in the South American nation on Aug. 10. “As I see reports come in of the terrible earthquake in Colombia and hear from my brother priests whose home communities have been directly impacted, I am deeply moved with compassion for all who are experiencing suffering in the region,” the bishop said. “My prayers are with them, and their families, that they may know comfort, healing, and the nearness of God in this time of great need.” Eight priests serving in the diocese are originally from Colombia: Father Andres Cano, who is serving at St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Copperhill; Father Julian Cardona, St. Thomas the Apostle, Lenoir City; Father Jhon Mario Garcia, St. Mary, Oak Ridge; Father Antonio Giraldo,

First embrace Bishop Mark Beckman embraces Deacon Nicholas Hickman, and the other deacons present followed suit. I would not be able to feed myself, clothe myself. They would have to take care of me my entire life.” Deacon Hickman said he doesn’t know what his birth weight was, but he knows another way of measuring it than by pounds and ounces. “I know that my dad’s wedding ring fit around my wrist like a bracelet. There’s a picture. There’s photographic evidence of that,” he said. Deacon Hickman headed back to St. Meinrad after the weekend Masses at the basilica to finish his semester. Beth Parsons, vocations office manager for the diocese, and her family attended Deacon Hickman’s ordination and first Mass the next day. “We were very privileged to go to the first Mass he served at as a

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deacon on Sunday morning, and he proclaimed the Gospel and gave a really beautiful homily,” she said. “It was a little tricky because they were having their stewardship weekend, but he really beautifully tied it in with the Gospel reading, and it was just beautiful for our family to really witness the joy that was on Deacon Nicholas’ face.” Mrs. Parsons has followed the deacon’s journey from the start. “I was in the vocation office when he came to apply, and one of the things that really stood out to me is that he credits part of his vocation call to the National Catholic Youth Conference that he got to attend,” she said. “I think that’s just very beautiful and a huge affirmation to youth ministry within the Diocese of Knoxville that is still calling people to vocations. ■ NOVEMBER 2026 n B9

Catholic schools

Local business donates 1,500 tulip bulbs to St. Dominic School way toward the surface even when bulbs aren’t planted in the ideal position. The children listened with curiosity, asked questions, and eagerly took their turns planting. For many, it was an opportunity to discover something new while contributing to a project that the entire school community will enjoy. The experience reflected the value of sharing knowledge across generations and the meaningful connections that can develop between a school and its neighbors. For St. Dominic, which has served Kingsport families since 1945, the planting was also an opportunity to bring learning beyond the classroom and encourage curiosity, cooperation, and an appreciation for the natural world. When the tulips emerge next spring, they will bring more than color to the campus. They will serve as a reminder of one neighbor’s generosity and willingness to share something he loves, and of the many young hands that helped bring his gift to life. ■

COURTESY OF ST. DOMINIC SCHOOL

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generous gift from a local business owner turned into an outdoor classroom at St. Dominic School in Kingsport on Oct. 21, as students from preschool through fifth grade gathered to plant tulip bulbs and discover some of the fascinating ways plants grow. Phillip McManus, owner of Mac’s Medicine Mart in Kingsport, donated 1,500 tulip bulbs to the school and joined students on planting day to share his knowledge and enthusiasm for gardening. With the help of two employees from Mac’s Medicine Mart and a St. Dominic volunteer, who prepared much of the soil for planting, every student had an opportunity to participate. But the experience was about much more than digging holes and planting bulbs. Mr. McManus took time to explain how to position the bulbs in the soil and what happens as they begin to grow. Students were particularly fascinated to learn about phototropism, the way plants respond to light, and how emerging shoots can find their

JACLYN HOLLOWAY (3)

Baylor defeats Knoxville Catholic football team 21-7 before sellout crowd at baseball stadium Knoxville Catholic High School and Baylor School of Chattanooga squared off in a football game on Oct. 30 at Covenant Health Park, home of the Knoxville Smokies baseball team. The game sold out shortly after tickets were made available, and a crowd of 7,338 watched the visiting Red Raiders defeat the Fighting Irish 21-7. Highly rated running back and University of Tennessee commitment David Gabriel Georges rushed for 244 yards and three touchdowns for Baylor, and he had an 88-yard scoring run called back because of a penalty. Knoxville Catholic senior quarterback Mack Bartholomew scored on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter for the game’s final TD.

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Mia and the entire Kinney family. This is one of the highest honors in volleyball and you earned it, Mia,” said Lady Irish volleyball head coach Brent Carter. Mia’s accomplishments also include being named an Under Armour Next MVP in 2025 and 2026; Division II East Region MVP; and as a junior, Knoxville News Sentinel PrepXtra and 5Star Preps volleyball player of the year. Also as a junior, she was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association all-state team and to the Tennessee Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team. In the TVCA All-Star Game, she was named Offensive Player of the Match. She has been an all-region selection in each year of her highschool career and captained the

Lady Irish as a junior and senior. Mia was recognized at the Knoxville Catholic-Baylor football game

COURTESY OF BILL HEWITT

nly 28 of the nation’s premier high school female volleyball players have been selected to participate in the 2027 Under Armour Next AllAmerica game. Knoxville Catholic senior Mia Kinney, a Vanderbilt volleyball commit, has been selected to play in the game, taking place in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 1. Mia is one of only two studentathletes in the Knoxville area who have ever been chosen for this honor in history. “Mia Kinney is easily one of the most special athletes we have ever had in this area. And she comes from one of the finest families I have ever been privileged to spend time with. The Under Armour AllAmerican distinction is not given, it is earned! Congratulations to

COURTESY OF JACLYN HOLLOWAY

KCHS volleyballer selected for Under Armour All-America game

Deacon Hunt continued from page B6

time they have to get right with Him. That is certainly not a privilege of the state, even regarding a person who has committed horrible crimes. Let’s hope and pray that Gov. B10 n NOVEMBER 2026

Lee and the state legislature of Tennessee take seriously the appeal of Tennessee’s bishops. I’m not holding my breath. But God’s grace moves in mysterious ways. Let’s pray for a full recovery for Christa Pike, and

at Covenant Health Park on Oct. 30. She will officially sign with Vanderbilt on Nov. 11 at KCHS. ■

St. Dominic School celebrates Grandparents Day St. Dominic School in Kingsport celebrated Grandparents Day on Sept. 18. More than 360 students, teachers, staff members, grandparents, parents, and guests gathered in the gymnasium to begin the day’s activities. Principal Bonnie Saleh welcomed everyone to the event and shared a brief overview of the school’s theme, “Torchbearers: Prayer Lights Our Path,” as expressed in Matthew 5. Following her remarks, St. Dominic pastor Father Joseph Kuzhupil, MSFS, gave a blessing for the assembly. Grandparents and grandchildren spent time together and participated in crafts and other activities. Honors went to a family that traveled the greatest distance to the event (from Vietnam) and to the grandparent with the most grandchildren (34). The student body then performed a final song. that her heart will be moved to turn to the Lord for mercy. And let’s pray both for the repose of the soul of Colleen Slemmer and for the comfort of her family, that their hearts, too, might be moved to mercy.

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Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all. ■ Deacon Bob Hunt is a husband, father, grandfather, and parishioner at All Saints Church in Knoxville. TH E EA S T TEN N ES S EE C ATH OLI C