Annual rosary held to mark All Saints Day at Calvary Cemetery

By Bill Brewer More than 50 people attended the annual All Saints Day rosary at Calvary Cemetery in East Knoxville. The rosary this year was said on Sunday, Nov. 6, with Father Ron Franco, CSP, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville, leading the prayer. Among the priests joining Father …

Marriage enrichment: Christmas peacemakers

Advent is upon us, and no doubt we all are busy preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ with our loved ones. This Advent I would like to challenge you to join me in preparing for Christmas by becoming a peacemaker. A simple definition of peacemaker is a person who …

KCHS sports staying in Division I; NDHS opts for Division II

By Dan McWilliams The diocese’s two high schools reached an athletics crossroads this fall when they had to decide whether to remain in Division I, the non-financial-aid division, or move to Division II. Each high school made a different choice. Knoxville Catholic High School opted to stay in Division I, …

Deacons incardinated into Knoxville Diocese

  Bishop Richard F. Stika joined deacons of the Diocese of Knoxville and their wives on Oct. 8 for a day of reflection and prayer at the Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. Two of the deacons who currently serve our diocese were incardinated during a Mass celebrated …

Union County group honors Father Pawelk

Father Steve Pawelk, GHM, pastor of St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in Maynardville and St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge, has been named the 2016 Man of the Year by the Union County Business and Professional Association. Father Pawelk was honored at the group’s annual banquet Nov. 5. …

New Sacred Heart Cathedral receives a generous golden gift

New York artisan ascends 14 stories to cover metal cross in gold leaf as part of special gilding process By Jim Wogan Anne Domenech is an artist with absolutely no fear of altitude. For four days in October, Ms. Domenech found herself suspended in a crane basket nearly 14 stories …

Living the readings: A Christmas change of life

Prepare for, rejoice in, and live out the holy season message By Father Joseph Brando We are approaching one of the great highlights of the year. If we can look at the entire calendar from afar, we can see Christmas and Epiphany shining out and giving us hope. In a …

A deacon at last

Larry Rossini’s path to ordination was briefly sidetracked, but now he serves Union County’s parish            By Dan McWilliams When the other 23 members of his deacon class were being ordained June 11, deacon candidate Larry Rossini was lying in a hospital bed, only three days removed from heart bypass surgery. …

Bishop Stika issues pastoral letter to address concerns of election results

Bishop Richard F. Stika has issued a pastoral letter to parishioners in the Diocese of Knoxville to address concerns following the 2016 presidential campaign and the Nov. 8 election. The letter was delivered at all 51 diocesan churches and missions during Masses on the second weekend of Advent. The presidential …

Funeral Mass held at Notre Dame for Br. Roland Driscoll

A funeral Mass was held Nov. 2 for Brother Roland Driscoll, CSC, who died Oct. 28 at Holy Cross Village in Notre Dame, Ind. He was 98. Brother Roland was born in Knoxville on Feb. 1, 1918, to Leo and Nell Brennan Driscoll. He attended Knoxville Catholic High School through …

Fr. Collins succeeds Dcn. Preske as Scouts chaplain

Father Dustin Collins, associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, has been named chaplain for Scouting for the Diocese of Knoxville. He succeeds Deacon Otto Preske, who is retiring as chaplain but continues serving as deacon at Good Shepherd Church in Newport. “We couldn’t have found a better …

Understanding the sacraments: To rise with Christ

Vatican’s Congregation for the Faith issues instructions on burial and cremation practices By Father Randy Stice In October the Congregation for the Faith issued an instruction titled To Rise with Christ (Ad resurgendum cum Christo) that reiterates the Church’s “doctrinal and pastoral reasons for the preference of the burial of …