Prepare for, rejoice in, and live out the holy season message By Father Joseph Brando We are approaching one of the great highlights of the year. If we can look at the entire calendar from afar, we can see Christmas and Epiphany shining out and giving us hope. In a …
A deacon at last
Larry Rossini’s path to ordination was briefly sidetracked, but now he serves Union County’s parish By Dan McWilliams When the other 23 members of his deacon class were being ordained June 11, deacon candidate Larry Rossini was lying in a hospital bed, only three days removed from heart bypass surgery. …
Bishop Stika issues pastoral letter to address concerns of election results
Bishop Richard F. Stika has issued a pastoral letter to parishioners in the Diocese of Knoxville to address concerns following the 2016 presidential campaign and the Nov. 8 election. The letter was delivered at all 51 diocesan churches and missions during Masses on the second weekend of Advent. The presidential …
Funeral Mass held at Notre Dame for Br. Roland Driscoll
A funeral Mass was held Nov. 2 for Brother Roland Driscoll, CSC, who died Oct. 28 at Holy Cross Village in Notre Dame, Ind. He was 98. Brother Roland was born in Knoxville on Feb. 1, 1918, to Leo and Nell Brennan Driscoll. He attended Knoxville Catholic High School through …
Fr. Collins succeeds Dcn. Preske as Scouts chaplain
Father Dustin Collins, associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, has been named chaplain for Scouting for the Diocese of Knoxville. He succeeds Deacon Otto Preske, who is retiring as chaplain but continues serving as deacon at Good Shepherd Church in Newport. “We couldn’t have found a better …
Understanding the sacraments: To rise with Christ
Vatican’s Congregation for the Faith issues instructions on burial and cremation practices By Father Randy Stice In October the Congregation for the Faith issued an instruction titled To Rise with Christ (Ad resurgendum cum Christo) that reiterates the Church’s “doctrinal and pastoral reasons for the preference of the burial of …
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Father Joe Campbell remembered as diocese’s ‘gentle giant’
Bishop Stika, Father Harvey lead funeral Mass for pastor of St. Henry, St. James the Apostle parishes By Bill Brewer A wrestler, football player, retail manager, woodworker, and boater who was a bit of an intimidating rebel, Father Joe Campbell also was a gentle giant of a teacher and pastor. …
He dwells among us: The mercy of God invites us!
Christ wants us to open the door to the ‘inn’ of our hearts to God’s mercy that we might sow peace By Bishop Richard F. Stika The dust has far from settled from a political election that reveals how truly divided we have become as a nation. While we all …
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic salutes volunteers at appreciation luncheon
By Emily Booker St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic honored its many volunteers for their ministry of service on Nov. 7 with a volunteer appreciation Mass and luncheon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Father Bill Gahagan, pastor of St. Jude Parish in Helenwood, celebrated the Mass. “We come …
USCCB vote moves Father Ryan a step toward sainthood
By Jim Wogan U.S. bishops gathering at their annual fall General Assembly in Baltimore in November approved the canonical consultation of four causes for beatification and canonization, including the cause for Servant of God Father Patrick Ryan, a diocesan priest who served in Chattanooga in the late 1800s. Bishop Richard …
Praying for Perspective: The Christmas story and common ground
The times may be different, but relating to Mary and Joseph is easier than you would think By George Valadie Season’s greetings! A year or so ago, when The East Tennessee Catholic and I began talking about writing this column, I had but one idea to offer and it was …
Cubs win! A steadfast faith always sees us through in the end
A fan’s message on being ‘assured of things hoped for and convinced of things unseen’ By Deacon Patrick Murphy-Racey As a kid growing up in Chicago in the late 1960s, I had two big problems. I knew nothing about sports and I had no brothers. My folks were highly educated, …
