NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE
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‘Not head knowledge: a personal encounter’ Father Randy Stice encourages devotion to the Eucharist, ‘the wonder of the Mass,’ in his latest book By Gabrielle Nolan
PAM RHOADES
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nitially drawn to the Catholic Church in the 1990s because of the Church’s teachings on the Holy Eucharist, Father Randy Stice decades later has written a book on cultivating a deeper relationship with the Eucharist. Father Stice, a priest of the Diocese of Knoxville who serves as the director of worship and liturgy, released Eucharistic Amazement: Experience the Wonder of the Mass in January. The book is published by Pauline Books & Media, which is the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul. The priest’s previous three books on the sacraments were made with an academic lens, being used in some seminaries for formation. However, that was not the audience for his recent release. “Eucharistic amazement is not just head knowledge. It’s also experiential,” Father Stice said. “And the saints talk about experiences of Christ in the Eucharist, not just academic knowledge… They not only understood the Eucharist, they had good theology of the Eucharist, but they also had a personal experience of encountering Christ in the Eucharist. We have to have a good understanding and think with the Church on our belief in the Eucharist, but it’s intended to be a personal encounter.” The book-writing process took about two and a half years, resulting in nine chapters. The book also
Blessed Sacrament exposed Father Randy Stice carries the monstrance during a eucharistic procession at Knoxville Catholic High School in 2023. With him are students Keegan Smith (left), Daniel Iverson (second from left), and Jack Acord (right). includes reflection questions for each chapter and suggested further reading material. “I wasn’t trying to come up with an idea for a book to write. I was actually just preparing a weekday homily,” Father Stice explained. “There was a phrase in one of the prayers—it was St. John Neu-
mann—for the Mass that talked about the power of this sacrament. And for some reason that phrase really struck me, and it brought together a lot of different elements that are now chapters of the book. So, in some ways the book is very personal.” Eucharistic Amazement contains
chapters featuring Sts. Teresa of Avila, Faustina Kowalska, and John Chrysostom, all of whom Father Stice has studied and has devotions to. Father Stice, who has a licentiate in sacred theology, completed his thesis on St. Teresa of Avila. Although the topics of the book Father Stice continued on page B2
St. Dominic hosts fourth men’s conference This year’s event draws 112 men from around the diocese and beyond for a day of talks, breakouts, and Mass By Dan McWilliams
DAN MCWILLIAMS
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he fourth annual Appalachian Highlands Men’s Conference hosted by St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport on March 8 underwent a name change this year to reflect the wider area the event draws from. A total of 112 men from 17 parishes in East Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and western North Carolina attended the Saturday conference, which began with breakfast and sign-in at 7 a.m. and concluded with Mass at 2:15 p.m. followed by a group picture and a social at 3:30. The theme of the day was “No Man Left Behind.” Keynote speakers were David Rinaldi, Deacon Vic Landa of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harriman, and Father Chuck Dornquast, a priest of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla., and chaplain for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Breakout sessions were led by Father John Orr, parochial administrator of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville; Father Andrew Crabtree, associate pastor of St. Dominic; Deacon Bob Lange, who also serves at St. Dominic; Jimmy Dee; Jonathan Cardinal; and Ron Henry. Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic, presided at the afternoon Mass. Concelebrating were Father Orr and Father Dornquast, with Deacon Lange and Deacon Landa assisting. In his homily, Father Cummins mentioned the day’s Gospel from Luke 5, where Jesus calls Levi the tax collector, the future St. Matthew,
Afternoon keynote Father Chuck Dornquast of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Fla., draws a few chuckles as he gives the final keynote talk of the day at the Appalachian Highlands Men’s Conference at St. Dominic Church. to “follow me.” Christ is also saying that to the men’s conference participants, Father Cummins said. “That’s truly appropriate as we prepare to go forth. Now that you have been strengthened through prayer and fraternity, Jesus says to you, ‘Follow me,’” he said. “Now that you have received insight and teaching and instruction and the testimony of others, Jesus says to you, ‘Follow me.’ Now that you have been strengthened by the grace of the sacraments, Jesus says to you, ‘Follow me.’
“Whenever Jesus asks us to follow Him, He asks us to go where He Himself has gone. He never asks us to go somewhere where He Himself has not been, and this is the truth of our faith.” The Lord “doesn’t send us out by ourselves,” Father Cummins said. “We hear elsewhere in the Gospels that Jesus says, ‘Go forth and proclaim the Good News,’ but He also says, ‘I am with you to the end of the ages,’” he said. “In essence as we look at this day of reflection and for you, who have experi-
enced the grace of this day, Jesus is saying to you, ‘Follow me back to your homes, follow me back to your family, follow me back to your place of work, follow me back to your parish, follow me back to your community because I am there for you, and I will strengthen you as you live your faith wherever you might be and in whatever situation because I am there. I am there for you.’” In his prayer and reflection on the men’s conference, Father Cummins Men’s conference continued on page B2