November 3 | 2024 VOL 34 NO 3
IN THIS ISSUE
FOR A5 PRAYING VOCATIONS
How God answered Lucia Herman
FINISH B10 PHOTO KCHS edges out McCallie in tiebreaker for state cross-country title
INSERT INSIDE See the special insert of El Reto Glenmary magazine inside this issue
Catholic commentary ....................... A3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 Columns ..........................................B6-7 Catholic schools ............................. B10 La Cosecha ............................Section C
Choosing God’s plan for marriage Diocese of Knoxville bucks national trend of falling wedding numbers By Gabrielle Nolan
GABRIELLE NOLAN
W
hile national marriage rates are on the decline within the United States, the Diocese of Knoxville is seeing growth that it hopes to sustain. Catholic News Agency reported in July that Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) showed that between 1969 and 2019, Catholic marriage rates dropped by around 70 percent. The article also listed Pew Research data showing that currently in the United States, 25 percent of 40-year-olds have never been married. Within the Diocese of Knoxville, marriage rates went up by 5.68 percent from 2022 to 2023. The diocese had 264 marriages in 2022 and 279 in 2023. The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in
Wedded bliss A couple takes part in a retreat given by the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment and Regnum Christi. The retreat was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on June 15. Knoxville and the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga
hosted the highest and secondhighest number of weddings in
the diocese, respectively. Scott Barron, director of parish ministries at the cathedral, said he cannot speak to the national decline of marriage, but he acknowledged the cathedral is seeing “phenomenal growth.” “We are booked out usually more than a year in advance for weddings here at the cathedral,” he shared. “But for the sacrament of marriage to mean a lot to those outside of our parish team, it must mean a lot to us. We work very hard to ensure our preparation program and process are intentional, respectful of people’s time, and welcoming (hospitality). We know if we get the marriage process right, we have a great chance to have a lifetime relationship with this couple. That means the family will bring their children back to be baptized and then hopefully Marriage continued on page A17
‘A community of light’
Catholic Extension presents Lumen Christi Award; St. Mary's Legacy Clinic is honored By Emily Booker
EMILY BOOKER
C
atholic Extension Society presented Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, medical director of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic (SMLC), with the Lumen Christi Award on Oct. 30. The award is Catholic Extension’s highest honor, given to people who “radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve.” The award was presented during SMLC’s annual volunteer appreciation Mass and luncheon at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. Bishop Mark Beckman celebrated the Mass. Catholic Extension president Father Jack Wall and Father David Boettner concelebrated. Deacon Sean Smith, chancellor of the Diocese of Knoxville, served as deacon of the Word and Eucharist, and SMLC volunteer Bruce Fisher gave the first reading. In his homily, Bishop Beckman spoke of entering through the narrow gate, which is mentioned in Matthew 7:13. “The narrow gate could be expressed in some ways as the small way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. It’s the way of love,” he said. He reminded the SMLC volunteers that their work with the clinic brings them opportunities to encounter people and show them love. “To be aware that every single person we encounter is an opportunity to love the Lord by loving strangers who we meet is really the small way of St. Thérèse, the narrow gate. Our medical clinic, the persons who come to you week by week, day by day, when you meet them, you meet them at a moment of pro-
Lighting the way Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, who is medical director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, holds the Lumen Christi Award presented to her on Oct. 30 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City. With Sister Mary Lisa are Bishop Mark Beckman, left, and Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society, who made the presentation.
"Over the past 17 years, Catholic Extension Society has provided more than $3 million in assistance to the Diocese of Knoxville in support of seminarian education, the work of our religious Sisters, the building of new churches, with our various ministries and programs of outreach to the poor, as well as programs of educational and leadership development and much more. Where would we be without the assistance of the Catholic Extension Society?" — Paul Simoneau Diocese of Knoxville vice chancellor found need. Your attention to them, your love for them, your presence to them, your medical care for them,
bring the light of Christ to them.” Bishop Beckman acknowledged Sister Mary Lisa and the work of
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic in encountering others and being a face of Christ to them. “Sister Mary Lisa, today you will receive the Lumen Christi Award. It represents the beautiful, good work that you’ve done in cooperation with so many others to bring the light of Christ to the unloved, the persons who need that love the most. Thank you for doing that,” the bishop said. “I want to thank all of you volunteers and workers of the clinic. You, too, in all your different ways, bring the light of Christ to those most in need of it.” He also thanked Catholic Extension Society for its work in supporting U.S. mission dioceses. “Catholic Extension does incredibly good work throughout the country and beyond,” he said. “You are helping people all over the place bring the light of Christ. Thank you for all of the good work that you are doing.”
Sharing the light of Christ
Several representatives from Catholic Extension Society were present to honor Sister Mary Lisa as she received the Lumen Christi Award at the volunteer luncheon following Mass. Father Wall spoke on the work of Sister Mary Lisa and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. He noted how Sister Mary Lisa and the Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., are following a long tradition of women religious offering medical care to those in need. “We’ve been given a beautiful gift through the American experience in terms of health care, and we know it’s been from women Light on page A21