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 …
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 …
Faith communities join for immigration vigil
Diocese of Knoxville takes active role in prayer service for Hispanic families By Blanca Primm and Viridiana Marin On Dec. 1, people of faith gathered at St. Andrews Center in Chattanooga to bear witness to a truth at the heart of the Gospel: families are sacred, and no person is …
Seeking God in abundant ways
UT-Chattanooga student joins others at event ‘yearning for what God was calling all of us to do’ By Maggie Parsons I joined 16,000 other Catholics in Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 1-5 for the annual SEEK26 conference to kick off the new year seeking what God had in store for me. The …
Investing in the diocese
Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee highlights key growth The East Tennessee Catholic Good works occurring in the Diocese of Knoxville were on display last fall as members and special guests were invited to join Bishop Mark Beckman for an evening in celebration of the Catholic Foundation of East Tennessee (CFET). …
‘Moments of grace and unity’
East Tennessee pilgrims recall taking part in the Jubilee of Hope The East Tennessee Catholic On Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, Pope Leo XIV closed the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica, officially marking the end of the Holy Year and the Jubilee of Hope. Pope Francis had …
‘Building up a communion of love’
St. Patrick Parish Knights of Columbus mark 50 years By Dan McWilliams The Knights of Columbus from St. Patrick in Morristown celebrated their 50th anniversary this fall, and Richard Hidalgo has been there for the entire half-century of a council that has taken part in virtually every aspect of parish …
‘Sharing joyfully at the Lord’s table’
Bishop Beckman consecrates the new altar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help The East Tennessee Catholic As the universal Church prepared to celebrate the feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8) and marked the memorial of St. Ambrose on Dec. 7, the second Sunday of Advent, Bishop …
Humbly seeking the truth
Synodal participants invited to contemplate and rediscover mystery of Church By Jim Wogan for The East Tennessee Catholic If it wasn’t plainly evident that this “Synod thing” was facing headwinds in the United States before I arrived at the Vatican in late October, it became more so on my first …
Diocesan youth take part in NCYC
Contingent from East Tennessee participates in national conference By Amanda Henderson Youth from across the Diocese of Knoxville joined some 16,000 Catholic teenagers and ministry leaders from around the country for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) Nov. 20-22. The three-day gathering invites high-school youth to encounter Christ through prayer, …












