The priest’s mother and sister from Colombia attend the Mass, which comes ‘as a surprise for them’ By Dan McWilliams Bishop Richard F. Stika installed Father Miguel Velez as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown on June 26, and there were two special guests on hand to witness it. …
Working to keep a community together
St. Patrick Parish leader finds herself on the front line of the immigration issue in East Tennessee By Bill Brewer This is a busy time of year for Veronica Galvan. The director of religious education and adult faith formation coordinator at St. Patrick Church in Morristown has been registering families …
St. Patrick Parish celebrates 60th anniversary
Morristown parishioners turn out in full to fete church’s history, pastor’s silver jubilee By Dan McWilliams A double celebration took place at St. Patrick Church in Morristown on May 19. The parish turned 60 years old in May, and its pastor of six years, Father Patrick Brownell, marked the 25th …
St. Patrick a shelter of hope amid lingering fears from immigration raid
Morristown parish still responding to Hispanic community with support, prayer By Hannah Brockhaus/Catholic News Agency-EWTN News Last April when nearly 100 workers were taken into custody in the country’s largest worksite immigration raid in a decade, St. Patrick’s parish center in Morristown opened to the community, and donations started pouring …
In the Spirit of Evangelization, St. Patrick Parish opens its doors to communities responding in a crisis
A day after the April 5 government raid at Southeastern Provision in Grainger County, Father Patrick Brownell, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Morristown, was standing outside St. Patrick’s family center and reflected on the quick mobilization of his staff, parish volunteers, pastors from other churches, and those in the …
Opening the Doors of Mercy
Priests, parishioners respond to immigrants in need after raid separates families Story and photography by Jim Wogan The ongoing and complicated issue of Latin American immigration in the United States hit the Diocese of Knoxville on April 5 when federal agents raided a slaughterhouse in Grainger County and arrested nearly …
Morristown Knights donate $4,750 to local groups
Lakeway area came through to help people with mental challenges. This is the 36th year that the Knights of Columbus in Morristown have collected money from the public to aid local organizations that serve the needs of folks with intellectual difficulties. During the Knights’ annual Tootsie Roll street collections last …
Funeral service held for diocesan lay leader George Haggard
By Emily Booker Generous philanthropist and community leader George O. Haggard, Jr., passed away suddenly on Dec. 12. He was 83. Mr. Haggard was the most recent recipient of the Immaculata Award, given for his dedication and service to the Diocese of Knoxville. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Dec. …
Some 240 faithful take part in diocesan Rites of Election
More than 200 soon-to-be Catholics participated in this year’s Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion of Candidates, an important step on their journey to joining the Church. “There were roughly 240 combined—catechumens and candidates,” said Sister Mary Timothea Elliott, RSM, director of the diocesan Office of …
