All Saints’ Diaz leading Pellissippi soccer team

She’s ‘grateful for the opportunity’ as she becomes the first head coach for the new college program By Dan McWilliams Mariana Diaz Lopez of All Saints Parish in Knoxville is making an impact in local sports as the first women’s soccer head coach at Pellissippi State Community College as the …

Welcoming back students is FOCUS of UT group

Catholic young adult ministry is ready to assist those returning to college campuses By Bill Brewer College students across the Diocese of Knoxville were greeted back to campus in recent days as the new school year also begins for this age group. And Catholic centers at East Tennessee State University, …

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Father Appiah’s ‘lei’ ministry

Diocesan priest and military chaplain marks 25th anniversary of ordination By Bill Brewer Father John Appiah is a priest on a mission, and he’s happy to share that duty with anyone, whether he’s in Hawaii or Turkey. The Diocese of Knoxville priest who is on assignment with the U.S. armed …

A trip down ‘no memory’ lane

Answered prayer leads Diocese of Knoxville parishioner home to Mexico after many years By Rocio Melendez I recently had one of my biggest, yet most forgotten, dreams come true. When I mean “forgotten,” I refer to the realization and acceptance that my dream cannot come true. And I became OK …

Fr. Ryan, ‘Paboo’ Dunn lead to winning essays for students

Young parishioners earn first place in U.S. Catholic Textbook Project contest By Claire Collins Two homeschool students in the Diocese of Knoxville were named the winners of the Catholic Textbook Project’s annual History Essay Contest. Anna Hargett and Julian Crace, parishioners of Holy Ghost and members of the St. Benedict …

Father Dowling marks 40th priestly anniversary

The pastor of St. Augustine in Signal Mountain reflects on ‘serving people by God’s grace’   By Dan McWilliams After morning Mass on June 18, the parishioners of St. Augustine in Signal Mountain honored pastor Father John Dowling with a reception as he marked the 40th anniversary of his priestly ordination. …

Giving hope

RCIA Summer Conference offers help in reaching the faith-seekers By Gabrielle Nolan The Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Christian Formation hosted its annual RCIA Summer Conference at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City on June 24. The conference theme was “Leading them Home: Catechetical and Pastoral Insights for …

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Chesterton Academy: joyful, classical, Catholic

The new, independent Catholic high school in Knox County opens its doors for the 2023-24 year  By Gabrielle Nolan A new Catholic school has opened its doors in Knox County for the 2023-24 academic year. Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow is an independent Catholic high school in the classical …

Former diocesan superintendent looks forward to a school-setting return at KCHS

By Bill Brewer It’s back to where it all began for Dr. Sedonna Prater. And that is an answered prayer. As the 2023-24 academic year starts, Dr. Prater transitions from superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Knoxville to vice president of academics at Knoxville Catholic High School. And while …

‘There am I in the midst of them’

Alive in You Catholic conference, service camp brings teens to diocese By Gabrielle Nolan Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” It is without question that Jesus was present when nearly 300 …

Uvalde a year later

Fr. Peter Iorio attends anniversary event of school shooting By Gabrielle Nolan The small town of Uvalde, Texas, is still grieving one year after a tragic school shooting shocked its community. The shooting that took place on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School took the lives of 19 children …

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Pro-life East Tennesseans mark key anniversary

Tennessee Right to Life holds Prayer and Praise event to recognize Roe reversal The East Tennessee Catholic Catholics from the Diocese of Knoxville joined Tennessee Right to Life and the pro-life community on June 24 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. When the U.S. …