NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE
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‘Everyone said I was crazy to do this’ By Dan McWilliams
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an Roman completed a charity bicycle ride of 5,000plus miles from coast to coast this spring and summer, putting up with considerable weather and bike issues along the way, but all to honor his late father and support research into and raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, which his dad suffered from. The parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes in South Pittsburg left his home in the diocese’s southwestern corner on May 13, started cycling the next day from Portland, Maine, and reached his destination of San Francisco on Aug. 3. “Since my dad was always into helping others and raising funds for the needy, I decided to honor him by cycling to raise money for Parkinson’s,” Mr. Roman said. “My dad, Roger, was a cradle Italian Catholic. My dad and mom (Sharon) are/were active members of their parish in Stockton, Calif., and had been married for almost 68 years at the time of my dad’s passing. He was the kind of man who spoke through his actions. He was a proud husband, son, dad, papà, and Catholic man. He was a Knights of Columbus member for decades, volunteered at food banks, right-tolife events, the Salvation Army, and United Way, and was a member of Rotary and numerous other local clubs.” The elder Roman “started riding a bike seriously at around age 50 or so,” Dan Roman said. “Around the same time he started cycling, he would get extremely tired and went to numerous doctors and specialists. He wasn’t diagnosed with Parkinson’s until about 25 years later.”
Dan Roman’s bike ride came full circle as his family celebrated the country’s Bicentennial in 1976 while he marked the United States’ 250th anniversary this July on his road west. “In 1976, we took a family vacation across the country to celebrate the Bicentennial,” he said. “My dad and I noticed dozens and dozens of people cycling over the Rocky Mountains carrying all their gear. Decades later, my dad and I spoke about this, as he wanted to ride across America, too. That was always one of his dreams, which unfortunately never came to fruition. I wanted to ride across America before my dad passed away so he could see the country through my experience. Unfortunately, he passed before I could accomplish this.” The departure date on his crosscountry ride, May 13, was the oneyear anniversary of Roger Roman’s funeral service. The distance of the bike ride has a significance. “I decided to cycle 5,150 miles because everyone said I was crazy to do this by myself and because I was going to be 100 percent self-contained,” Mr. Roman said. “Since I’m retired law enforcement from California, I decided 5,150 miles was appropriate because the California Welfare and Institutions Code for being ‘crazy’ is 5150. I figured my dad would get a kick out of that.”
COURTESY OF DAN ROMAN
Dan Roman of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish rides across the country to honor his father, raise funds for Parkinson’s
In memory of Dad Dan Roman proudly shows off a poster after he completed his bike ride of more than 5,000 miles from Portland, Maine, to San Francisco.
From Maine to San Francisco
Mr. Roman could truly sing “I’ve Been Everywhere,” a song mentioning multiple cities recorded by Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, and many other artists. “I have ridden through 25 states,” he said. “My route has taken me
from Maine through New Hampshire to Eden, Vt., near Canada, back down through Massachusetts to Rhode Island, through Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Ohio. I ended up crossing the Ohio River seven times. “Then I rode to Kentucky, up to Indiana, to Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, up to Wyoming through Yellowstone, past parts of Charity ride continued on page B2
Diocese holds first sensory-friendly Mass By Dan McWilliams
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he Diocese of Knoxville’s new Special Friends ministry sponsored its first sensoryfriendly Mass on July 25 in the chapel at Knoxville Catholic High School. The liturgy did not make use of music, bells, or microphones, which can be a distraction for some Mass-goers. Father Randy Stice, director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy and a chaplain at KCHS, celebrated the Mass. “I enjoyed it. We want to make Jesus accessible to everybody. And I’ve had experience doing (similar) Masses, like for deaf communities. So, I’ve learned that we have to make some adjustments so that Jesus can really touch everybody.” And that’s the biggest takeaway. “Yes, that’s what we want,” Father Stice said. In his homily, the KCHS chaplain spoke of the day’s Gospel reading from Matthew 13. “Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a great treasure and to a valuable pearl. The kingdom, the treasure, the pearl, is not a thing—it is a person. It is Jesus Himself. He is the great treasure. He is the pearl of a great price,” Father Stice said. Pope Benedict XVI said that “wherever Jesus is, there is the
kingdom. Scripture tells us that Jesus is the king, he is God, he is the savior, but we also see Him in the Gospels as a teacher, a healer, a server, one who serves others, a brother, a friend, and a comforter,” he added. “We know that during His earthly ministry, men did not receive Him, they did not treat Him well, He was rejected, He was betrayed, He was made fun of, He was abused, He forgave.” Jesus “understands what we go through because He went through everything that we go through. He understands what we struggle with, how we can be mistreated. … And He is for us a comforter, a healer, and a friend,” Father Stice said. And Jesus “is present with us now. He is present because we have come together in His name,” the KCHS chaplain said. “He is present in His word, and in a few minutes He is going to be present substantially on the altar, under the appearances of bread and wine. So, the Gospel, I think, invites us to ask: What do we need from Jesus today? Do we need a friend? Do we need a healer? Do we need a comforter? Do we need a teacher? Take a moment to think about what it is we want from Jesus today and ask Him for that.” Sarah Warner Sperl, assistant director of the diocesan Office of
DAN MCWILLIAMS
The liturgy in the KCHS chapel provides a ‘calming experience’ without music, bells, or microphones
‘Making Jesus accessible to everybody’ Father Randy Stice celebrated a sensory-friendly Mass on July 25 at Knoxville Catholic High School. With him above are (from left) Liz Gottschall, Sarah Warner Sperl, Carolyn Krings, and Julie Radachy. Mrs. Sperl, Ms. Gottschall, and Ms. Radachy are leaders with the Diocese of Knoxville’s Special Friends ministry. Mrs. Krings is the director of the diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life. Christian Formation, is a leader with the Special Friends ministry. The idea of a sensory-friendly Mass “came about through several families who contacted the diocese, and they also contacted Julie Radachy,” Mrs. Sperl explained. “They were interested in looking for support and resources for their children with special needs.” Ms. Radachy is the team leader
for the Special Friends ministry, which has seven members after being created about two months before the first sensory-friendly Mass. Mrs. Sperl said she thought the Mass at KCHS “was very beautiful. It was a nice, intimate setting. We had several families who signed up who did show up, and everyone seemed to really appreciate the Special Friends continued on page B3