Diocese of Knoxville welcomes four new priests

By Jim Wogan With words of encouragement and a few more on what to expect, Bishop Richard F. Stika ordained four new priests into the Diocese of Knoxville on June 27. Jesus Guerrero-Rodriguez, Michael Hendershott, Scott Russell and Ray Powell all received their Holy Orders during the Rite of Ordination …

Baseball author goes by The Book

By Jim Wogan Bryan Steverson doesn’t go anywhere, including Mass, without a pen and some three-by-five index cards in his back pocket. The Virginia native and his wife, Barbara, have been parishioners at Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa for 30 years. During Mass, Mr. Steverson’s focus is on the …

Pope speaks as a pastor in call to protect earth, USCCB president says

By Dennis Sadowski Catholic News Service WASHINGTON — Pope Francis speaks with a pastor’s voice and with deep respect for science in calling the world to address threats to all life on earth through environmental degradation and a the mindset of a “throwaway culture” in his encyclical, the president of …

All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, pope says

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.” All who …