Serving where the need is

Military service is a second calling for these Diocese of Knoxville priests

By Bill Brewer/ Photography by Stephanie Richer

Father Patrick Brownell and Father John Appiah speak highly — and reverently — about Diocese of Knoxville priests who have gone before them. Father Joe Brando, Father Frank Brett, and Monsignor Philip Thoni are among the ones who frequently come to mind.

The thread that connects these servants of God has a brownish-green camouflage hue. In addition to their standard clerical dress and vestments, fatigues are part of their priestly uniform as military chaplains. Read more…

Columns

He dwells among us: Build them up with prayer

Our priests need our prayers and to know that we support them

By Bishop Richard F. Stika

You made them a kingdom and priests for our God.–Revelation 5:10

St. John Vianney, patron saint of priests, knew well that, “When people want to destroy religion they begin by attacking the priest; for when there is no priest, there is no sacrifice; and when there is no sacrifice, there is no religion.” He was 7 years old when the Reign of Terror began in 1793 during the French Revolution, when faithful Catholics were considered traitors and enemies of the state and priests, in particular, were hunted down and sent to the guillotine. To destroy the Church meant that the priesthood needed to be eliminated.  Read more…

Praying for perspective: A journey of a hundred years begins with a few missteps

By George Valadie

By the time you read this, another Father’s Day celebration will have come and gone. Believe it or not, I’m actually hoping for some socks.

I could hardly believe it after doing the math. This will make 42 Sundays I’ve gotten to celebrate as a dad. Didn’t have a clue what I was doing back then: she was so little; I was so young. We just considered survival — hers and ours — to be a noble goal.

How is it possible that I — and they — have gotten so old so soon? Read more…

Marriage Enrichment: On long marriages—and a columnist’s retirement

Many people are thanked for their efforts over the years to benefit marriage-support events

By Marian Christiana

This article is going to have two parts to it. At first glance, they may not seem to fit together, but stick with me and I think that you will see the connection. The first section is about the 2019 longest-married couple in the Diocese of Knoxville, and in the second section I will comment on my upcoming retirement at the end of June 2019. Read more…

Thoughts and Prayers for the Faithful: Is it important to me that my children be Catholic?

Parents should ‘make it known’ to children ‘in word and deed that our faith is the most important part of our life’

By Bob Hunt

June is the month for graduations and weddings, so it’s a natural time for parents to reflect with pride on their children’s accomplishments. It’s a good time, too, to consider how we as Catholic parents are doing in raising our children in the faith. The Church provides many opportunities and resources for the education and formation of children, so much so that it may be tempting for us parents to forget that the primary responsibility for the faith formation of a child belongs to us. Read more…