Describing the Church’s new leader as a man of peace and prayer, Bishop Richard F. Stika spoke March 13 to the Knoxville media soon after Pope Francis was introduced to the world. Just as Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation was surprising, so was the relatively quick election of Cardinal Jorge Mario …
‘It’s an adventure’
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By
Emily Booker
Handmaids of the Precious Blood pray with a pioneer spirit for priests By Emily Booker Just outside of New Market, on top of the third-highest point in Jefferson County overlooking the Holston River, a group of women keep vigil, praying for the sanctification of priests and the health of the Church. They are the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, a cloistered religious community who have called East Tennessee home since 2013. Due to their sequestered lifestyle, few may know of their presence, unless one happens to spot a couple of Sisters in wine-colored habits and white veils out running errands. But their work is mostly done in their chapel, spending time with the Lord and praying for His priests. A mission to pray for priests While some religious orders serve in schools or medical fields, the Handmaids are a cloistered order, meaning they mostly stay at their monastery and devote... Read more →