Christ wants us to be radiant in faith, hope, and love In our part of the country, the leaves change into a myriad of autumn colors. There are oranges and reds and browns blown by the capricious wind over the green grass opening groves up to the blue sky resulting …
Once upon a time: The warm, friendly confines of home
Campaign to build up Church in East Tennessee promises to be a blessing to all of us As a child I suffered from asthma — so much so that I sometimes had to sleep in a chair in an upright position for days, weeks, or months at a time. If …
Marriage enrichment: Focus on the family
Synod of Bishops preparing to deal with a world of challenges facing family life Families come in all shapes and sizes and every one of them has its own particular set of challenges. Luckily for us, Pope Francis understands the challenges of family life and has decided to see how …
Understanding the sacraments: Nurturing family devotions
Synod on the Family to address Church concerns, including safeguarding and promoting forms of popular piety On Oct. 5 the third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops begins its work on the “pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.” In preparation for the synod, the …
Bishop urges thoughtful solution to border crisis
By Bishop Richard F. Stika Imagine being a parent of five children and living with the very real expectation and fear that one of them, or worse yet, all of them, could be the targets of a ruthless and violent gang that you have no power to stop. The circumstances …
Living the readings: Making it through rough times
Many lessons are learned about God’s abundant love August is known for its long hot days and sweaty boring nights that made kids wish school were back in session. Schools, in Tennessee at least, have accommodated this desire and have welcomed the children back ever earlier each year, making today’s …
Once upon a time: Road to heaven should be traveled with love
Incorporating Scripture into a trip, regardless of the distance, will deepen your spiritual journey About two millennia ago, a teenaged Jewish girl (shall we name her Miriam?) who lived in the northern third of the Holy Land (Galilee) got wind that her older cousin, Elizabeth, who lived in the hill …
Marriage enrichment: Home really is a holy place
Finding new ways to communicate this message more effectively I have just returned from the National Association of Family Life Ministers (NACFLM) annual conference. The theme this year was “Home is a Holy Place,” which was perfectly timed to tie into the emphasis Pope Francis has placed on the Church …
Understanding the sacraments: The Synod on the Family
Praying for the pope and bishops as they address how the Church can live more fully the sacrament of reconciliation Pope Francis, recognizing the enormous challenges facing the family, has called the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to consider “pastoral challenges to the family in the …
He dwells among us: ‘You shall be my witness’
The prayer of every priest, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’ always leads to greater joy I love the Easter Season. With the exception maybe of the pollen and other allergens, there is always so much to look forward to in this season—warmer weather, the end of a …
Living the readings: A perfect hand
An abundance of June solemnities is a blessing from God As we look each month at the Sunday readings, we’ll find either four or five Sundays. They may all be plain as in Ordinary Time. Or, they may be Sundays in Lent or, more recently, of Easter. A feast day …
Once upon a time: Sacrifice is at the heart of Catholic education
Diocesan schools and their faculty always strive for excellence – in good times and bad Public schools in the South had it very hard during the Depression years and still produced some of the intellectual lights of the 20th century. Underfunded, they made do with what they had, held more …
