March | 2025 VOL 34 NO 7
IN THIS ISSUE
DAY MOMS A16 AAshPOWERFUL B1 A4 WELL-READ Wednesday has ushered Women around the diocese are joining faith-based book club - and loving it
in the season of Lent, and the faithful have responded
Catholic commentary ....................... A3 Parish news ....................................... B4 Diocesan calendar ............................ B5 IN SERVICE God chooses teachers to Columns ..........................................B6-7 be His face, hands, and Catholic schools ..........................B9-10 feet to students in faith La Cosecha ............................Section C
‘Bringing the Gospel of life’ Diocesan-wide St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, Catholic Charities form partnership
survey is underway
The East Tennessee Catholic
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wo local Catholic powerhouses have joined forces to begin a life-affirming partnership that will positively impact the rural communities of East Tennessee. St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic (SMLC), a mobile medical clinic that provides health services to the medically uninsured, and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee (CCETN), a nonprofit organization that provides social services to thousands of clients, officially came together for the first time on Feb. 27 at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg. The SMLC mobile clinic and CCETN’s new mobile ultrasound van were stationed in the parking lot of St. Mary, as the parish hall was used for patient intake and prescribing medications. Before patients were seen, the staff and volunteers of both organizations held a ribbon-cutting between the two vehicles. St. Mary parish administrator Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, blessed the mobile clinics with holy water. Deacon David Duhamel, executive director of CCETN, said that “it didn’t take much” to form the part-
GABRIELLE NOLAN
By Gabrielle Nolan
Tandem ministries The St. Mary's Legacy Clinic and the Catholic Charities of East Tennessee ultrasound van serve patients at St. Mary Church in Gatlinburg on Feb. 27. Father Pontian Kiyimba, AJ, pastor of St. Mary, joined Deacon David Duhamel and Sandi Davidson of Catholic Charities, Martin Vargas and Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, of the Legacy Clinic, and Walt Hanson of the Knights of Columbus to bless the mobile vans and their partnership. nership with SMLC. “When you have two very likeminded organizations that are focused on bringing the Gospel of life to the citizens of East Tennessee, especially those who are our most vulnerable neighbors, it worked really well,” Deacon Duhamel commented. “Being able to come and present both of these
services at the same time at a parish here in the Diocese of Knoxville was an opportunity too good to pass up. We are looking forward to continuing this relationship longterm, where both the assets will be able to be deployed in partnership where it makes sense for the community that we’re visiting, and of
ishop Mark Beckman is asking everyone in the Diocese of Knoxville, from high school juniors and seniors to senior citizens, to complete a unique survey that will gauge their interest and involvement in their parishes. The survey, called the Disciple Maker Index, is a tool provided by the Catholic Leadership Institute that provides an in-depth assessment of where parishioners are in their faith lives and their experience of parish life. Parishes will provide parishioners a link to the survey via e-mail. The survey results will be shared with parishioners this summer and will help parish leaders in planning for their parishes. The Disciple Maker Index is available to parishioners Survey continued on page A7
Partners continued on page A15
Bishops’ letter on Appalachia marks 50 years Pastoral addresses region’s social, economic, environmental needs By Emily Booker
STEPHANIE RICHER
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rom St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation, which celebrates 800 years this year, to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si', which marks 10 years in 2025, the Church has a long tradition of promoting the dignity of the human person, the care of creation, and God’s love for the poor. It is in that tradition that “This Land is Home to Me,” a pastoral letter signed by 25 bishops in Appalachia, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. “This Land is Home to Me” addresses the history and needs of both people and land in Appalachia. The idea to have a joint pastoral letter on the region came out of the work of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA). The CCA was formed in the 1960s as the Catholic caucus of CORA (Commission on Religion in Appalachia). With the federal formation of the Appalachian Regional Commission, there was a new focus on addressing the disproportionate poverty and resource needs in the region, which covers parts of 13 states. The CCA worked with bishops of the region, which includes East Tennessee, to increase Church awareness of the characteristic issues that were unique to Appalachia. Even though Catholicism had a statistically small presence in the region, the bishops and the CCA hoped to make a large impact addressing the needs of the people. In 1973, the CCA focused on the question “How can we, individually and corporately, work toward a more effective missionary presence of the Church in Appalachia?” The developed plan included a focus on proclaiming the Gospel message, identifying with the poor,
This land is home St. James the Apostle Church in Sneedville is located within the bucolic hills and hollers of Hancock County that are part of Appalachia. The Diocese of Knoxville and its 51 parishes and mission are located in the heart of Appalachia. clarifying ministerial roles within the Catholic community, demonstrating appreciation of Appalachian culture, and acknowledging the personal need for repentance. Similar to the most recent Synod for Synodality, there was a desire to hear from a variety of voices and have the people’s experiences lead the discussion. The CCA interviewed individuals, community groups, and church workers. Their stories were incorporated in the pastoral,
which was developed in cooperation with local bishops. “This Land is Home to Me: A Pastoral Letter on Powerlessness in Appalachia” was signed by 25 bishops whose dioceses covered the Appalachian region. Their united voices gave weight to the document that addresses concerns over the economic and political struggles of the region, particularly in the coal country of central Appalachia continued on page A23