Deacon closer to priesthood as Bishop Stika leads ordination Mass at St. Mary Church in Johnson City Arthur Torres Barona is an important step closer to the priesthood following his ordination into the transitional diaconate Dec. 1 at St. Mary Church in Johnson City. Bishop Richard F. Stika welcomed the …
Lending a helping hand
St. Alphonsus Community Services provides assistance to those in need By St. Alphonsus Community Service Volunteers “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God, and the one most helpful to us.”— St. Alphonsus Liguori In 1986, six ladies, led by Laura Brenn and Jane Aitken, established a food pantry in the basement of the old St. Alphonsus Church in Crossville. In the ensuing decades, the scope of St. Alphonsus Community Services (SACS) has broadened to encompass residents across Cumberland County. SACS’ community- service beginnings were small, and its facilities inadequate. In those early years, the volunteer staff quickly found itself running out of space. In the 1990s, the people of St. Alphonsus Parish undertook a fundraising campaign to build a new worship space. A suitable 37-acre parcel was purchased, on which stood a circa-1880 farmhouse commonly... Read more →