The Catholic Dads board of directors recently presented a $750 check as the first of the organization’s new School Support Grants to the leadership of Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville. The grant program, which launched in January, allocates resources for schools in the Diocese of Knoxville to assist with …
Men’s Emmaus to be held in diocese
Spiritual gathering at Christ Prince of Peace center set for April 24-26 The East Tennessee Catholic Registration is now open for the first Men’s Emmaus in East Tennessee. The event will be at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton April 24-26. The Emmaus Retreat is based on the …
Shaping the Church of the future
Students at the heart of Professional Development Day as diocesan educators meet By Bill Brewer There was a buzz in the air on Feb. 12 as educators from around the Diocese of Knoxville gathered on the campus of Knoxville Catholic High School for the annual Professional Development Day. Yes, Bishop …
St. Dominic men’s conference draws record 157
Bishop Beckman joins a roster of speakers focused on the theme of ‘Weathering the Storm’ By Dan McWilliams The fifth annual Appalachian Highlands Men’s Conference at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport on Feb. 28 drew a record 157 attendees, with Bishop Mark Beckman on hand to give his advice on …
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Bishop Richard F. Stika, third bishop of Knoxville, dies
The East Tennessee Catholic Bishop Richard F. Stika, who served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville from 2009 to 2023, died in his native St. Louis at age 68. He was found in his residence on Feb. 17. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at the Church …
Through the eyes of a child
SEEK26 conference was a new kind of fulfilling experience for FOCUS parents By Claire Collins Ten years ago, I found myself in the back of a crowded conference room full of thousands of college students. I was a first-year missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students and had just …
Chesterton students carry on chalk-art tradition
‘Madonnari’ drawings now seen on driveways or sidewalks hark back to 16th-century Italian Renaissance Since 2009, the Dogwood Arts Chalk Walk, an annual chalk art festival, has occupied Market Square in downtown Knoxville. Jim Dodson, co-chair of Chalk Walk, states: “Beginning with humble roots, this art experience has enriched our …
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‘Who wants to read the newspaper?’
OLPH 5th-grader takes faith, school, and The East Tennessee Catholic to heart By Bill Brewer Genevieve Moy wants to change the world—one book report, poem, notebook drawing, math problem, violin piece, school play—and newspaper—at a time. The fifth-grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Chattanooga isn’t just about …
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Bishop Beckman visits with students at St. Joseph School
Bishop Beckman visits with students at St. Joseph School By Bee Goodman Bishop Mark Beckman had planned to spend Catholic Schools Week traveling throughout the diocese, visiting classrooms and celebrating the educators and students who make Catholic education a defining part of parish life. Winter weather, however, forced changes to …
Preparing the way of the Lord
Lent 2026 is here, and Catholic faithful around East Tennessee are readying for Holy Week The East Tennessee Catholic and OSV News It has been just over a month since the feasts of Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord marked the end of Christmas. And now in 2026, Lent is …
‘Humble, prayerful, obedient servant of the Church’
Bishops Beckman, Spalding lead funeral Mass for Father John Kirk By Jim Casey Nashville Catholic Father John Kirk, a priest of the Diocese of Nashville for more than 55 years, died on Jan. 18 in Knoxville. He was 84. A funeral Mass was celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville …
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Knoxville Catholic High School parent detained in ICE enforcement actions
en español Immigrant community unsure of proper steps By The East Tennessee Catholic On the morning of Jan. 28, the father of a Knoxville Catholic High School student, whose family has asked to remain anonymous, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near The Home Depot in East …