Funeral Mass celebrated for Wally Brownell, mother of Father Patrick Brownell

Walburga Ehrhardt “Wally”Brownell, 80, of Morristown, the mother of Father Patrick Brownell of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown, passed away at home surrounded by family on Friday, Jan. 25. The funeral Mass was held at St. Patrick Church on Jan. 28, with Father Brownell officiating. Interment was in Mount Olivet …

Wings of Gold

Funeral Mass, first all-female flyover held for pioneering Navy pilot Story by Bill Brewer Photography by Stephanie Richer Archive Photos courtesy of U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command and U.S. Naval Institute Rosemary Mariner was full of firsts. To the world, Capt. Mariner was an aviation pioneer who broke through …

Knoxville March for Life attracts 1,000 pro-life supporters

Some 1,000 pro-life supporters, including many East Tennessee Catholics, joined together Jan. 27 at the Knoxville Convention Center for the 46th annual March for Life, which was organized by the Knox County chapter of Tennessee Right to Life (TRL). Marchers, who filled the Convention Center’s 460-seat lecture hall and ground-floor …

Dedication day

St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish outgrows the carport and storefront, celebrates move into church Story and photography by Dan McWilliams An overflow crowd witnessed Bishop Richard F. Stika dedicate the new St. Teresa of Kolkata Church on Feb. 2 in Maynardville, just seven years after the parish’s first humble gathering …

Praying for perspective: The shape of things to come

It’s up to us to harness all the technological advances and use them for good—and for God. By George Valadie It’s probably trite to even offer this thought, but do you ever notice anymore how dramatically and rapidly our lives are changing? The whole idea jumped out at me the …

He dwells among us: Triple Crown of Dignity

By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Christian, recognize your dignity…. Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness.” –St. Leo the Great Do you know that, by virtue of your baptism, you participate in a special way in the threefold mission of Christ as Priest, Prophet, and …

Lenten penance services held in deaneries

Here are the Lenten penance services around the diocese, received as of press time: Chattanooga Deanery 7 p.m. EDT, unless noted. March 13—St. Mary, Athens March 14—St. Catherine Labouré, Copperhill, 6:30 p.m. March 18—Sts. Peter and Paul, Chattanooga, 6 p.m. March 19—St. Stephen, Chattanooga, 6 p.m. March 21—St. Thérèse of …

Basilica restoration is completed

Sts. Peter and Paul lifts the curtain on six-month construction project that ushers in the 1890s By Bill Brewer Four years of praying, planning, working, and paying for much-needed improvements to the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul yielded dramatic results Dec. 23 when Bishop Richard F. Stika and Father …

Praying for perspective: A heartfelt thanks—from Katy’s dad

A lifetime in Catholic schools ‘has rubbed off on our girls’ By George Valadie We’ve just finished celebrating Catholic Schools Week, us and the rest of the nation. It was a much-needed idea born in the mid-’70s, the same time I stepped into my first classroom as a Catholic school …

Marching for Life

Diocese of Knoxville parishioners of all ages take part in Washington, D.C., rally By Jim Wogan Each year since 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on Roe vs. Wade, effectively legalizing abortion, people who strongly oppose that decision have traveled to Washington, D.C., for the annual March …

Catholic Teens United guides youth to learn more about their faith

By Emily Booker A new program in the Diocese of Knoxville is guiding teens to learn more about Catholicism, gain strength through eucharistic adoration, and grow in holiness through the sacrament of reconciliation. Catholic Teens United meets monthly at area host parishes for an afternoon of learning, prayer, and fellowship. …