John Dee Hitt of Knoxville passed away on Dec. 13. He was 73. Mr. Hitt was a member of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville. He also was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, serving as district deputy of District 18 as well as Tennessee faith director, evangelization and …
Knoxville Catholic names new football coach
Philip Shadowens, who has 202 career wins, moves from co-interim head coach into the top role for the Irish Knoxville Catholic High School announced Dec. 19 that Philip Shadowens has been named head football coach of the Fighting Irish. Mr. Shadowens served as co-interim head coach with Steve Matthews for …
Carrying the cross is a spiritual (and school) exercise
Catholic keepsakes offer an effective way to hold the past, raise funds By Bill Brewer There is recycling. And then there is a spiritual aspect to recycling, which the Catholic Church encourages in ways such as Pope Francis’ recent encyclical and exhortation on the environment and care for our common …
Ellen Margaret Vance
Ellen Margaret Vance, age 103, of Oak Ridge passed away on Dec. 12. Mrs. Vance was born in Knoxville on April 9, 1920, to the late Leo Kavanaugh Meehan and Ellen Cecilia Long Meehan. She was a 1937 graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, and she was a member of …
Paul T. Dunn
Paul Theodore Dunn Jr., age 94, of Knoxville, passed away on Dec. 19. Mr. Dunn was born in Providence, R.I., on Feb. 19, 1929, and grew up during the Great Depression. Upon graduation from Westerly High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served his country from 1946-48. …
‘He gave his all’
Father Ron Stone, pastor of Holy Cross Parish, dies following recent illness By Bill Brewer Father Ron Stone, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge, whose compelling conversion story was an inspiration for many people, died on Dec. 8 following a brief illness from cancer. He was 69. Archbishop …
A parish united for Ukrainians
OLPH parishioner leads church effort to make a new home for refugee family By Bill Brewer As unrest grips the Middle East and dominates the world’s attention, fighting continues to rage in Ukraine as that country’s military still battles Russia, a war that next month will enter its third year. …
Alfred N. Jacobson
Alfred Nicholas Jacobson, age 97, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on Dec. 26. Mr. Jacobson, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 17, 1926, to Thomas and Sarah Jacobson, was a loving, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He worked as an insurance underwriter for more …
Nancy Boettner
Nancy Boettner, 82, our beloved wife, mom, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, died on Dec. 12. Mrs. Boettner was the eldest child of Phyllis and Peter Gostomski and enjoyed a typical Yankee childhood in LaSalle, Ill. She was an excellent student and a lifelong learner, which earned her multiple …
Rorate Mass for religious communities is celebrated
By Gabrielle Nolan On the darkest night of the year, the winter solstice, the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus was aglow with candlelight. A Rorate Mass in honor of Our Lady for the religious communities of the Diocese of Knoxville was held on Dec. 21, with the …
Crazy Quilt party gives kids a merrier Christmas
The Catholic Charities ministry in Newcomb distributes toys to more than 250 children By Dan McWilliams The annual Christmas party at the Crazy Quilt Friendship Center in Newcomb on Dec. 16 saw more than 250 young people receive toys, bicycles, and more. Donations from East Tennessee Catholics and churchgoers …
Jonathan J. O’Rourke
On Nov. 13, Jonathan James O’Rourke, known as Johnny to his friends and family, passed away at the age of 50. Mr. O’Rourke joins his wife, Patricia, who passed away in 2020. He is survived by his parents, Lawrence and Nancy O’Rourke; his sister, Amy O’Rourke; his nieces Emily and …
