CRS Helping Hands project turns out 10,000 meals

A highly organized assembly line of parishioners from across the Diocese of Knoxville gathered at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City recently as part of an effort to help end hunger in Africa. Those who took part in the Helping Hands project, sponsored by Catholic Relief Services, helped …

Renovations greet returning Sacred Heart students

By Dan McWilliams When Sacred Heart Cathedral School students began classes Sept. 8, they found that plenty of renovations took place over the summer at their 59-year-old building. The school improvements, conducted while construction on a new cathedral was taking place next door, made it an exciting time for Daniel …

St. Vincent de Paul Society holds Festival Meeting

The  St. Vincent de Paul Society, District Council of Knoxville, held a Festival Meeting and “Day for Spiritual Renewal” hosted by the St. John Neumann Conference on Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There are currently nine parishes within the Diocese of Knoxville that have active St. Vincent …

St. Patrick fulfilling needs through Home Campaign

Completing church basement, new outreach equipment are keys to achieving evangelization goals By Jim Wogan For five years, parishioners at St. Patrick Church in Morristown have been holding some of their meetings and social gatherings in the church basement. Not unusual—unless you consider the basement has no heat or air …

Sacred Heart Knights Council 5207 changes name

At its annual meeting in Philadelphia, the Knights of Columbus supreme board of directors voted to approve changing the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish council name to Sacred Heart Cathedral Council 5207 from the Vincent J. Gleason Council. “The change in our name represents a new era for our council and …

Parishioners launch effort for Calvary Cemetery upkeep

Families, volunteers joining to provide maintenance for historic East Knoxville burial site By Dan McWilliams Calvary Cemetery has been the final resting place for Knoxville’s Catholic families and diocesan priests for 146 years, and as the graveyard nears capacity the focus is beginning to turn to a perpetual-care fund that …

American citizenship is dream come true for Chattanooga priests

Father Kuzhupil, Father Okere complete naturalization process with official ceremonies in U.S. District Court By Bill Brewer Father Joseph Kuzhupil and Father Bartholomew Okere are living the heavenly dream, but now they’ve found another one to add to it. The American dream has come alive for the two priests in …

He dwells among us: Evil without its makeup

By Bishop Richard F. Stika Decades ago, people on another continent shocked the world, saying, “We did not know” regarding the atrocities they chose to ignore. And before that, our own country enshrined as the law of its land the slavery of those we deemed less than human. Yet today, …

Growing the lay apostolate

Catholic Bible School is at the heart of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Hispanic evangelization By Bill Brewer August just wasn’t the same for Gladys and Juan Herrera. They missed the excitement of starting a new school year, reconnecting with classmates and all the possibilities that new learning brings. But after …

Praying for perspective: Kindred spirits among life’s graduates

By George Valadie For those who begin this autumn with school-age children, you have automatic membership in a club of kindred spirit. Public or private, Christian or non-denominational, kindergarten or high school – it’s all the same; you join the club of moms and dads who hate the dastardly teacher …

Baby, we’re back in business

The Catholic Charities Pregnancy Help Center in Chattanooga has some news, and it wants the world to know: It’s back, it’s updated and it has big plans for the future. With the help of two grants, the center reopened in May at 859 McCallie Ave. after two years of inactivity. …