Marches for life attract many supporters

Pro-life efforts took center stage nationally and locally Jan. 22 and Jan. 26 as annual March for Life rallies took place in Washington, D.C., and Knoxville following the fourth annual Rosary For Life. Groups from the Diocese of Knoxville traveled to the nation’s capital for the Jan. 22 March for …

Cliff and Rosamaria Perez mark 50th anniversary

Cliff and Rosamaria Perez celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a Mass at Holy Cross Church in Pigeon Forge, with Father Andres Cano officiating, on Dec. 28. Following the Mass, a reception was held at Big Bear Lodge with family and friends attending and participating in the celebration. Rosamaria and …

Funeral Mass held for Mark Fredrick, St. Francis deacon

FAIRFIELD GLADE — A funeral Mass for Deacon Mark Fredrick of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade was held Jan. 27 at the church. Deacon Fredrick, 89, of Crossville, passed away Jan. 18 at Standing Stone Care and Rehab Center in Monterey, Tenn. Bishop Richard F. Stika celebrated …

Marriage enrichment: Marriage Be-Attitudes

Strengthening marriages by strengthening our ‘domestic church’ is possible by modeling sacrificial love This past Christmas we were discussing New Year’s resolutions with our adult children. Our daughter-in-law shared that she and our son weren’t going to be making resolutions this year. She told us they were going to have …

Understanding the sacraments: The liturgical year

Introducing the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy and the mystery of Christ unfolding In this column I have been looking at the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, which laid the foundation for the reform of the liturgy. So far we have looked at the principles that guided the liturgical reform, …

Several developments looming large at Vatican in 2014

Canonization ceremony, new cardinals, papal trip to Holy Land, Synod of Bishops chief among them    VATICAN CITY — After a year that included the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and a series of celebrated innovations by Pope Francis, it is hard to imagine 2014 at the Vatican could be …

Once upon a time: Giving is so much a part of Church teaching

Stewardship of financial resources and support of Bishop’s Appeal critical to a healthy diocese As I look back on nearly 75 years of formal education in the Catholic faith, I have many things for which to be grateful. My parents taught me the basic prayers, how to pray the rosary, …

Pro-life supporters ‘freeze for best cause in the world’

WASHINGTON (Catholic News Service/Catholic News Agency)— The polar vortex couldn’t chill the ardor of thousands of participants who demonstrated their determination to continue speaking out against abortion at the annual March for Life and rally Jan. 22 in Washington. Temperatures went briefly into double digits but hovered around 8 degrees. …

Diocesan educators, students prepare for Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week in the Diocese of Knoxville will kick off Sunday, Jan. 26, at many parish schools with Mass and open houses. Superintendent Sister Mary Mary Marta Abbott, RSM, has been collecting information on all the events occurring in the diocese’s 10 schools. This will be her third year …

Bishop Stika leads 2014 diocesan Men’s Conference

Bishop Richard F. Stika spent a morning and afternoon with some 165 participants at A Diocesan Men’s Conference: A Dialogue With Our Shepherd on Jan. 11 at All Saints Church. The conference was presented by the All Saints Peter and Paul Society and by Sacred Heart Parish’s St. Joseph Society. …

Rosary For Life attracts parishioners from across diocese

What looked to be a soggy Rosary For Life instead became a powerful witness for God and the sanctity of life Jan. 11 as a persistent downpour dried up when Cardinal Justin Rigali began prayer in front of Planned Parenthood’s East Knoxville clinic. Some 250 people from across the Diocese …

History of the Diocese of Knoxville now available

A book chronicling the history of the Diocese of Knoxville, published on occasion of the diocese’s 25th anniversary, is now available to East Tennessee Catholics. The illustrated History of the Diocese of Knoxville, a 160-page hardcover, tabletop book, was published by Éditions du Signe of Strasbourg, France. The book contains …