Pastor's Column
Summer’s Here!
May 8, 2005
As you can tell from the parking lot, school’s out at U.T. I am sure that made you smile when you arrived. Even with the parking perk, it’s always bittersweet to see the students pack up, and especially to wish our graduates well. Emily Buckley and Caroline Sarros who help out after hours in the business office are not only graduating but both getting married this summer! I am proud of them as I am of all of our graduates. I am always amazed how those kids who came to U.T. as freshmen grow into young adults by the time they graduate. Thanks to all of you who have supported our students this year with your prayers, your concern, and with your food! It’s been a great year for all of us.
Even though it’s the summer session doesn’t mean we are shutting down John XXIII. We are in the midst of planning a number of events for our summer calendar. Our Vacation Bible School will take place in early June. A Returning Catholics Group will start on Thursday, June 2. We will have a two part series on End of Life Issues and Living Wills. Guest speakers will be with us on June 22nd to speak on peace issues as we mark the 60th Anniversary of Hiroshima. And don’t forget the Parish Picnic on June 5th! This is just the beginning of activities happening to keep our mind and spirits alive during those lazy days of summer. Keep an eye on the bulletin.
As I close, I want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all. I also want
to wish Fr. Bob a happy 21st anniversary of priesthood on May 19th. Next weekend,
I will celebrate 10 years as a priest. That doesn’t seem right, but
it’s true!
Special Event Weekend!
May 1, 2005
There are many things happening at John XXIII this weekend! First off, I am pleased to present to you our First Communion Class. The six children who will receive the sacrament have been very diligent in their preparations. I know their parents, teachers Mary Ellen Mezzacappa and Judi Brookshire are very proud of them, as am I! As they come to the altar for the first time, let us remember our first encounter with Jesus in the Sacrament. If your participation in the Eucharist has become automatic over the years, pray that the enthusiasm of our youngest members rubs off on you!
Speaking of enthusiasm, this weekend is special because after all the build-up it is now time for each of us to consider what we can offer to the parish by way of the Capital Campaign. By now, you have been equipped with good information. Hopefully, you have had a chance to ask questions about the campaign and the needs of the Parish. God willing, you have recalled all the ways God has blessed you and your loved ones. Please take the time now to consider what pledge you can give to the campaign. For those with limited means, every bit helps! Those with more, I challenge you to stretch a bit. I am heartened by the very strong response by parishioners already. The Paulist Fathers will be contributing to the campaign, as will I. If you are sitting on the fence, I hope you will consider joining all of us who believe this is a worthwhile endeavor.
The best part is that this weekend ends the “period of inspiration”
for the campaign. No more talk about making pledges after this Sunday. What
better reason is there to have a reception after each Mass? I appreciate all
who have worked so hard on this effort, those of you who have been so receptive,
and those who have been so quietly patient along the way! I love you all!
What’s in a name?
April 14, 2005
Congratulations to Pope Benedict XVI, our new Pope. From Germany, he is one of the leading theological figures in the Church. He’s written over 100 books on different theological subjects. As you may know, he was a close ally of the previous Pope, and will most likely continue the agenda that John Paul II set. At age 78, he is not expected to have a long pontificate, and so is seen as a transitional Pope who will bridge the previous Pope’s legacy with who will come after. Being so well versed in the workings of the Vatican and with a clear vision of what the Church should be, I don’t expect he’ll sit back and chill out.
He could have taken the name John Paul III, but he chose Benedict. So, what’s in a name? St. Benedict was proclaimed by Pope Paul VI in 1964 to be the patron and protector of Europe. The monasteries that he founded--and for which he wrote his “rule,” the basic guide for monastic living-- became the keepers of culture and piety in Medieval Europe. Perhaps he sees himself as rescuing Western Europe from what he called “the dictatorship of relativism.” The last Pope Benedict (1914-1922) spent much of his Papacy trying to end World War I. He pleaded with all parties for peace and reconciliation, to no avail. He also sought to gather modernists and traditionalists under the umbrella of the Church. Perhaps the new Pope is signaling to us he is committed to seeking peace and reconciliation not only between peoples of different nations and faiths, but also within our own Church. I hope he’ll continue John Paul II’s dialogue with our Jewish, Muslim, and separated Christian brothers and sisters. I also hope, like Benedict XV, that he will seek to unite our Church.
Time will tell how this pope will lead the Church. The most important thing
now is to set aside our judgments of how we think he will do his job and pray
that the Spirit of God may be with him, that he may guide our Church with
the love of Christ.
Who’s Next?
April 17, 2005
That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind... Who will be the next Pope? There are many theories. All of them are guesswork, so I pay them no mind. If I were one of the Cardinals, I might come up with a good excuse not to get elected! Consider the issues that will confront him: women’s issues, lack of priests, poverty, apathy among young Catholics, lack of reception of the faithful on Church issues such as birth control, the inroads made by protestant missionaries in Central and South America, the tensions of a global Church vs. the needs of particular peoples and nations, the on-going dialogue with world religions, especially Islam. And did I mention the legacy of Pope John Paul II looming in the background? So many things! What a headache!
Gratefully, perhaps, we can not appeal to the 117 Cardinals gathered at the conclave for the Pope we want or need. Rather, we call on the Holy Spirit to open the minds and hearts of those voting that a suitable successor is chosen who will lead us forward to address the critical needs of our time, mindful always of the Gospel command to love God and neighbor and to be a servant-leader. When we see who emerges from St. Peter’s Basilica, we might form an instant judgment (no doubt, thanks to the media). In the spirit of charity and given the burdens of his job, let us strive for hopefulness and call on the Holy Spirit to help us be open-minded to what the leadership the new Pope will offer.
As we wait for white smoke from the Sistine Chapel this week, let us join
our hearts and prayers together with Christ and ask for his Spirit to move
among us and guide us gently into the future.
Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)
April 10, 2005
What a week it has been! The expressions of mourning for Pope John Paul II we’ve felt and witnessed, either on television, at Church, or in our own hearts have been profound and even surprising, in some cases. Immediately after the announcement of the Pope’s death, students started coming to our chapel to pray, many in tears. The attendance at Mass this past weekend was akin to Ash Wednesday. Truly, this Pope touched many hearts.
The Pope was not only a member of our spiritual family, he was the leader
and his loss is poignant. His achievements are vast on the world stage and
in our Church. For young Catholics, John Paul is the only Pope they’ve
known and his outreach to them has been tremendous—they have lost a
special friend. In a world with changeable values, the Pope remained steadfast
in his teachings of the Church, providing boundaries in a society that doesn’t
often respect them. Even some friends who have had trouble with the Pope’s
stance on particular issues have surprised me with acknowledgements of admiration
and affection for this man of faith who helped change our world for the better.
Recently, Bishop Kurtz traveled to Rome to see the Pope. He wrote: “I
was blessed to have the opportunity to tell His Holiness of the great esteem
in which the people of the Diocese of Knoxville hold him and of their deep
gratitude to him for his great leadership over this past quarter of a century.
He has shown himself to be a man so richly gifted by God.”
As we complete our official mourning for the Holy Father this Monday, we pray
for the future of the Church. How fitting it is, then, that we celebrate the
Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend. What better way to pray for the future
of the Church than by prayerfully supporting those who seek to become full,
active members of the community of faith!
Getting Involved
April 3, 2005
This past week at RCIA, the six who have joined the church had an opportunity to express their joy in being a part of our community. As a member of the Church, they also recognized their responsibility to get involved parish life. Two of the new Catholics received a real baptism of fire and assisted in the Easter Egg Hunt after the 11:15 a.m. Mass. It might have been a bit much on their first day, but the children were grateful for their help. Afterwards, I tried to convince them that this was not part of hazing for new Catholics.
Their witness reminds me that the Easter Season is a great time to renew
our bonds with one another and with our community of faith, and reach out
to form new relationships.
Wherever you are at in your involvement at John XXIII, fasten your seat belts!
The active part of our capital campaign is about to start and we are all called
to get involved. After Mass this weekend, information packets will be distributed
to help you consider how you can play a part. You will get some phone calls
from fellow parishioners keeping you connected. There will be different events
and activities for all members of our parish young and old during this month
to keep us focused on the goals of the campaign.
There is good news to report already! Through the campaign, over 140 members of our parish have be enlisted to help, proving that when there is a need in the future, there will is consolation in knowing how many people are ready to roll up their sleeves! Also, some parishioners have already responded very generously to the goals of the campaign. For all those who have already gotten involved, it was important for them to hear more about the campaign and get questions answered. So, as we enter this public phase of the Captial Campaign, I invite you to be informed, ask questions, and be open to how God may be calling you to get involved.
Happy Easter!
March 27, 2005
On behalf of Fr. Bob, and the entire staff of John XXIII, I would like to wish you a very happy Easter!
I am pleased to introduce to you the newest members of the Catholic Church who were welcomed at the Easter Vigil Saturday night! There are two adult baptisms this year: Sam Erozan and Melissa Maddox. Sam, who is part Turkish, cares for the sick at Fort Sander’s Hospital as a specialist in heart surgery. Melissa is a U.T. student in majoring in communications. She has an aunt who is a nun who, no doubt, encouraged her to make this step.
Four baptized Christians will become full members of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil. James Bailey is already an active member of the parish, serving on the Parish Council for a number of years now. He is an architect and designed the new platform in the Paulus Room. Lisa Grubb, a U.T. student, first became aware of John XXIII through neighbor and sponsor Bunny Borremeo. She babysat Bunny’s daughter Beth. Amanda Reynolds is a geology major at U.T. and is from Virginia. Her sponsor, Betty Ivins, is a returning Catholic who has been an active participant in the RICA process all year. Welcome back Betty! Finally, Freshman Wes Stallings is the youngest member of the group. His home is in Old Hickory, Tennessee but grew up in Kodak. He plays the saxophone in the Pride of the Southland Marching Band. See if you can pick him out at Neyland Stadium next year.
Special thanks to all who have assisted these folks in their journey to the altar of the Lord! The RCIA team and sponsors have helped to create a warm, welcoming and supportive community. I am very grateful for their hard work and dedication. You all have outdone yourselves this year!
Please welcome these newest members to our community! They are signs to us of new life at Easter! Keep them in your prayers that they may find a home in the Catholic Church and they may bless us with their witness to the faith!
Palm Sunday
March 20, 2005
I invite you to read this reflection on the Passion from Fr. Bob O’Donnell, Pastor of the Paulist Mother Church in New York. Hope you find it helpful! Have a great Holy Week! Fr. Eric
The proclamation of the Passion story next today and on Good Friday is an invitation for us to journey with Christ through Cross to Resurrection. Where do we find ourselves in the Passion narrative? Who is the Crucified One for us? These Scriptures were inspired and handed down to be a mirror we hold up to examine ourselves, not a finger of guilt pointed at others “back then” or now. This is especially important to bear in mind with the many references to the “Jews” that occur in these gospel chapters.
Gospel references to the “Jews” as a group hostile to Jesus reflect more the growing tension and separation between Jewish Christians and others Jews in later decades of the first century A.D. (when the Gospels were written) than simply the situation of Jesus’ life, ministry, and death. Jesus did indeed clash with some Pharisees during his earthly ministry; some of the Temple priestly authorities in Jerusalem no doubt saw Jesus as a threat and had him arrested. Perhaps this small group of his compatriots were implicated in Jesus’ death, not many or a whole people. Jesus was judged and executed by the Roman imperial authorities (Pontius Pilate) in Jerusalem, crucified (a Roman punishment), not stoned (the Jewish form of execution). That is why the Second Vatican Council took pains to reject the centuries’ old charge of “deicide” which had become part and parcel of Christian anti-Semitism.
Alongside the influence of intra-Jewish divisions, the Gospels also carry memories of some Pharisees as “close to the kingdom of God” and the Acts of the Apostles recounts that some of them joined the early Christian community. The Gospels and Acts even note some members of the priestly class as sympathetic to the Jesus and the Christian community. Jesus himself, his mother, his group of Twelve, and most of his disciples in the early Church were themselves Jewish. So, it is hardly accurate to take the later conflict between Jewish Christians and emerging rabbinical Judaism (reflected especially in Matthew and John) as the basis for a global Christian attitude toward “the Jews.” Sadly, that is what happened in many Christian lands and centuries, a betrayal of Christ rather than a true following of his Way.
Instead, we might recall the words of St. Paul: “They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Messiah” (Romans 9:4-5) and “The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).
The Paulus Room Renewed!
March 13, 2005
I think it was first month of becoming pastor here that parishioner Anne Marie Van Hook sat me down in the back of the Paulus Room and invited me to imagine a face lift of the space. Since I was the new man in charge, the thought of making any changes in the first months of my pastorate seemed radical and ill-advised. Yet, Anne Marie’s arguments won me over and we began work on the room.
Last weekend, after 14 months, the Paulus Room is complete! I want to thank Anne Marie for her insight and her assistance on every phase of the facelift. Very special thanks go to parishioners James Bailey who donated his time to design the platform and Rocky Smith and his associates who donated the materials and labor to build it.
What to do about the floor covering in the Paulus Room prompted endless rounds of discussion. Every conceivable floor covering and combination of floor covering was considered. Money was certainly a big concern. During that time we were blessed with a bequest from the estate of Coletta Begue which financed the new carpet, allowing us to attend to other needs in the building. Coletta was a wonderfully generous and faith filled woman, and I know she would be pleased that her gift was used to enhance our gatherings! With the remainder of the bequest, we will also purchase our own portable dance floor for our social functions. Finally, thanks to all those who gathered a few Sunday nights ago to rip up the carpet! Greg Duthey spearheaded the effort and got the city, with the help of David Brace, to loan us a dumpster.
This was truly a communal endeavor and I want to thank all of you for your help, encouragement and support along the way! Of course, there is more that can be done like enhancing the lighting on the platform space, and installing a camera so that the Mass can be piped into the nursery when a child needs a time out. But for now, It is truly a room we can all be proud of that will serve us wonderfully for years to come!
Capital Campaign: Diocesan Needs II
February 27, 2005
I know, I know! I’ve been talking about this Capital Campaign forever now! Consider it a Lenten practice. I’ll wrap up this series of articles by explaining the four diocesan needs. 40% of our initial goal of $325,000 ($130,000) will go to fund these needs.
The first is Education. As I have been saying this has been the major driver of the campaign from the beginning. Through this drive, a multi-million dollar endowment fund will be established that will provide tuition assistance to children and families most in need of support and supplementing the parishes already provide to their schools. Funds from this endowment will also available to parishes, such as ours, to assist our C.C.D. programs.
Despite evidence to the contrary, Christian education and formation doesn’t end at Confirmation! The diocese also seeks to boost its Adult Faith Formation programming. The Diocese is currently developing a series of courses on Catholic heritage that will be offered in throughout the parishes of East Tennessee. A lay ministry formation program will also be created to assist parish leaders. Along those lines, the diocese will offer funding for parish leaders to access on line theological study and distance learning through accredited academic institutions. Ruth Queen Smith is on the steering committee for this effort.
The priestly retirement trust fund is currently under funded and needs one million dollars to be self sustaining. Not only will the retired priests of the diocese benefit from this, but also the Paulist Fathers.
Responding to the call of the Gospels to welcome the stranger, an Office for Newly Arrived Immigrants is urgently needed in our diocese. This ministry will assist immigrants with short and long term needs from immediate social services to filing for legal residency. Funds will provide seed money to Catholic Charities for tools and training to become certified to assist both newly arrived and existing immigrants.
These needs seem just and timely and I ask you to prayerfully consider them
along with the needs of John XXIII. More information will be made available
shortly. There is also a video available from the diocese that expresses these
needs more fully which I would be happy to make available to you! Any feedback
you have would be greatly appreciated!
Capital Campaign: Diocesan Needs
February 20, 2005
Judging from the lack of response to the last two columns, I am presuming
that at this point, you are in general agreement with the needs we have identified
for John XXIII. If you missed the last few columns, they are archived on our
website and you can catch up!
As you recall, 60% of the money we raise will be used here to help us improve
our facility and programs. So what about the other 40%? How will that get
spent?
Before I get to the specific needs of the Diocese of Knoxville next week, let me provide some background information. The Capital Campaign in which we are about to embark is an initiative of the Bishop. He recognized that something needed to be done to address the critical financial situation of some of the parochial schools in the Diocese. Closing the poorest schools like St. Joseph’s in North Knoxville would be a huge injustice to the children who are being well served there. Thus, an endowment fund was conceived to stabilize the system.
“So what?” you might say. “What obligation do we have to the Diocese?” Granted we are a small parish, but we are a part of the Church of East Tennessee and are called by the Sacred Scriptures to care not only for our own needs, but the needs of the larger Church. How often did St. Paul call his newly founded communities to assist the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem? We are also cared for by others when we send our kids to other parish’s schools, attend Mass elsewhere when we it is more convenient, or benefit from Diocesan ministries such as Catholic Charities. Thankfully, we don’t need to stand alone, yet that comes with its share of responsibility.
From a pragmatic standpoint, no matter what, we will benefit from this initiative. It gives us an opportunity we (okay, I) wouldn’t have had the guts to undertake. The Diocese is paying the cost of the fundraising consultants. It will get lots of people involved and really help our parish needs. And from the money we give to the diocese, we will benefit from enhanced services and educational grants. While this is all good, we must challenge ourselves in prayer and action to respond to the needs that lie outside our door as well.
More details on the diocesan case next week!
Captial Campaign: Our Needs Part II
February 13, 2005
Last week, I wrote about two of our needs here: maximizing the unused space for parish use and making the building accessible to all. Those are more “hardware” issues. The second two objectives are “software” issues: education and outreach.
Our library has been a tremendous resource to our parish and to those seeking to know more about Catholicism, other Christian groups, and world religions. Continue to pray for the recovery of our librarian Carol Legendre who is recovering from serious illness. She has done a great job keeping our library running smoothly. While we have attempted to keep the library up to date, we haven’t had the resources to bring it up to date. We would like to use at least 15% of the capital campaign to update our collection, so that the finest in Catholic thought and spirituality might be available on campus. Hopefully, some of our new collection will be available for use on-line. During Carol’s medical leave, parishioner Mari DeCuir has offered her services as interim librarian. Mari has a Masters in Information Science and her specialty is in library procurement. Welcome Mari, your talents will be well used!!
The final area is outreach and programming. John XXIII has always been a center for adult faith formation. We would like to continue that tradition by having noted Catholic speakers come to John XXIII. The capital campaign will also allow us to request grants from the Diocese for other programming we’d like to initiate. Finally, International students, student athletes, and cradle Catholics are at risk to high pressured Christian fundamentalist groups on campus. The campaign will allow us to stipend part-time campus ministers to reach out to these groups in a more focused way.
I hope this fleshes out our needs more clearly. Next week, I’ll give
you more background on the Diocesan needs. If you would like to meet with
me to discuss any of this, I am happy to meet with you!
Captial Campaign: Our Needs
February 6, 2005
Two weeks ago, I filled you in on the background for the Diocesan Capital Campaign. As I mentioned, we have been commissioned to raise $325,000, 60% of which will remain here for capital improvements.
After consultation with you all, the finance council, the parish council, and the parish staff, four area of need emerged: 1) Renovating rectory for parish use; 2) Making the parish accessible for all; 3) Updating the library; 4) Enhancing our programs to meet the needs of students and parishioners. Let me address the first two areas.
In the fall of 1999, the priests moved to a home in Old North Knoxville. Since that time, the rectory has been occupied by individual residents who have looked after the place. We estimate that there is about 1,500 square feet of space in the old rectory that is unused and can be renovated for parish use, while leaving a comfortable 4 room apartment for a resident or a priest. A successful campaign will allow us to move the parish offices downstairs so as to create a new lounge for parish and student use, create additional classrooms for meetings, Sunday school and quiet study.
While those who are disabled have access to the Paulus Room or the Chapel, they are unable to use a bathroom or the resources in the library. Often times, I have seen the elderly of our parish or those recovering from hip or knee surgery struggle to climb the stairs. While we could build a bathroom on the main floor, no solution has been satisfactory. For $26,000, a handicapped lift could be installed which would allow anyone to get from the Paulus Room to the library or to the old rectory where the new offices would be. At least one bathroom would be made handicapped accessible, and an automated door opener would be installed.
Along with these capital improvements, this would also be the proper time to replace aging ceiling tile and replace old lighting fixtures. We also need to examine how extra parking spaces can be added without sacrificing what little greenspace we have.
Next week, I’ll discuss the other 2 aspects of our case! Hope this is helpful! Your feedback is encouraged.
HAITI UPDATE
January 30, 2005
I am interrupting the overview of the Capital Campaign, so you can learn what is happening with our Haiti Outreach from Cathy Speraw. I’ll be in NYC this weekend to preach the Paulist Appeal there. See you at the Mardi Gras Party! Fr. Eric
Dear Parish Friends,
It has been 6 weeks since the tragic death of my husband, Joseph Dorvil, in Haiti. This has been a horribly difficult time for me, but though my grief has been devastating it has been eased by the expressions of sympathy and love that have been extended to me by the John XXIII parish family. Thank you all for caring so much.
For the time being I am in Knoxville, living with my parents while I rest, try to heal and regroup. Even though I am here, however, the work of the Children’s Nutrition Program of Haiti (CNP) continues. Before I left Haiti to return home I was able to arrange for the nutrition program to be maintained. CNP is, I believe, the most effective program operating in Haiti. Through the Hearth trainings that take place in the villages and the Malnutrition Rehabilitation Program that CNP maintains at the hospital in Leogane, the lives of children will continue to be saved.
Likewise, the relationship between John XXII University Parish and CNP will continue, and I hope that it will thrive and grow. Know that the donations that you make save lives. Your generosity and love is felt by children and families whom you have never met. Your compassion and mercy give them hope. Because of your willingness to share what you have, the children of Leogane are able to have healthy lives. Whether your contributions to CNP are large or small, they have a powerful impact. I am asking that you continue to lend your support to CNP. The children of Haiti need you.
Though there will not be a mission trip to Leogane this spring, do not despair as there will be others in the future. I want for you to know the Haiti that has become so much a part of me, and the people who have benefited from your goodness.
In every way you have shown yourselves to be people of mercy, generosity and compassion. Thank you for your loving care of me, and for your generosity to children in Haiti whom you have never met. Your kindness means everything to me in my grief, and to them in their need. May God bless each of you.
Cathy Speraw Dorvil
Capital Campaign: Part I
January 23, 2005
Last weekend you received the first bit of information about the Diocesan Capital Campaign entitled GIFT or Growing in Faith Together. Like a coming attraction at the movies, it gave you a hint of what was to come. In the weeks to come, we will be telling you more about this campaign, and invite you to participate however you can. But first, let me begin to answer some frequently asked questions.
Why? This capital campaign began in response to the critical need for resources to keep schools like St. Joseph in North Knoxville open. Even schools like Sacred Heart are challenged by the influx of immigrants who wish for their children to attend parochial schools. There is also a need to provide funding for parishes without schools to boost their religious ed. programs for children and adults, as well as for families of Catholic immigrants moving into our diocese. Many parishes also have capital needs. This GIFT campaign was created to meet the direct needs of parishes, and of the Diocese at large.
What is our Goal? Each parish has been called to raise 1.25% of their yearly collection over a three-year giving period, above and beyond regular collections, the annual stewardship appeal, and other yearly collections. Our goal is $325,000. Of that amount, 60 % or $195,000 will stay at John XXIII and the rest will go diocesan needs. If we exceed our goal a higher percentage will stay at the parish level.
How will this help our parish? Next week, I will begin to outline our case beyond what you read in last week’s handout. I believe our needs are very worthy of your support.
What’s happening now? Right now there we are forming various committees to tackle the different areas of the campaign. If you would like to help, just let us know!
Hope this will help you to understand what’s happening!
New Pastor at Immaculate Conception
January 16, 2005
There is a new Paulist in town! His name is Fr. Joe Ciccone and he will formally be installed as pastor at Immaculate Conception on January 30th. Joe arrived in Knoxville mid December. Like all Paulists who serve in Knoxville, he will reside at our community house near St. Mary’s Hospital. Starting January 1, I became the Superior of the Paulist residence.
From the name, you would correctly guess that Fr. Joe is an Italian-American. He is originally from Brooklyn, New York and was ordained to the priesthood May 1989. Before entering the Paulists, he studied at the Pratt Institute of Fine Arts in Manhattan and went on to become an Art Director for a large ad agency on Madison Avenue. Funny story: he worked with O.J. Simpson once (pre-trial, of course). After ordination, he was assigned to Clemson University as campus minister, then on to Boulder, Colorado as campus minister at the University of Colorado, and most recently at the Paulist Center in Boston with Fr. John Ardis.
Fr. Joe is not only a great artist but a fine liturgist and singer. He will bring many gifts to I.C. and I am sure you will see him around here from time to time. Should you find yourself over at our sister parish, welcome him to Knoxville!
This is also a great time to welcome all new faculty and students to the University of Tennessee this new semester! Make yourself at home!
New for 2005
January 4, 2005
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season filled with joy. Again, I am so grateful for all of you who made my 40th Birthday so special. I was overwhelmed by your generosity of Spirit that made the whole event possible. I am also grateful for that same Spirit that made our Christmas celebrations so special. I want to especially thank staff members Brian Beach, Mary Beth Bowman, Barbara Lockett, Nancy Brennan Strange and Ben Summers for all the extra work they put in through the season to make all the celebrations so wonderful.
I am pleased to announce that starting next week we will begin preparations for the new rug and altar platform in the Paulus Room. The new altar space will be one piece and will have a ramp in the back of it. This will assist disabled parishioners and help move equipment. While I know there is a benefit to have a movable altar space, in the past 10 years the blocks have been moved a total of zero times. Given the fixed location of the screen, the speakers, and the video projector, I can’t envision a move. That being said, the new platform will not be nailed down, and we will have rug tile. Some future pastor, years from now, can move things around relatively easily. Thanks to those parishioners who labored to build and carpet the blue blocks! They have served us well. If you would like one in your home as a keepsake, speak now!
I am confident the place will look GREAT when it’s all done!