Priests attend conference at Nashville cathedral

Father John Orr and Monsignor Xavier Mankel of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville and Father Patrick Resen of St. Catherine Labouré Parish in Copperhill attended the second annual “Renewing the Priesthood” Conference, sponsored by the Thomistic Institute at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville from July 16-18.

There were four plenary sessions, preceded by an introductory conference that made up the bulk of the event.

Father Paul Scalia of the Diocese of Arlington, Va., gave the introductory conference, “The Parish Priest as Teacher.”

The first plenary session was the lecture of the Rev. Dr. Romanus Cessario, OP, MST. Father Romanus’ presentation addressed the second pillar of the Catechism, namely “The Priest as Teacher of the Sacraments.”

The Rev. Dr. Thomas Weinandy, OFM Cap, gave the second plenary session, “The Priest as Teacher of the Creed (the Mysteries of Faith),” corresponding to the first pillar of the Catechism.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Sherwin, OP, gave the third plenary session, “The Priest as Teacher of the Moral Life,” corresponding to the third pillar of the Catechism.

The final plenary session was on the fourth pillar of the Catechism, titled “The Priest as Teacher of Prayer,” and was presented by the Rev. Dr. Jeremy Driscoll, OSB.