NEWS FROM THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE
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Chesterton Pearl Gala features ‘huge news’ Headmaster Zach Summers announces that Bishop Beckman has canonically recognized the school By Dan McWilliams
DAN MCWILLIAMS
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he third annual Pearl Gala benefiting the Chesterton Academy of St. Margaret Clitherow on Feb. 15 featured the biggest announcement in the young Knoxville school’s history. Founding headmaster Zach Summers told the 100 supporters attending the gala at Bearden Banquet Hall that Bishop Mark Beckman has canonically recognized Chesterton, bringing it under the auspices of the Diocese of Knoxville’s Office of Catholic Schools. It becomes the 11th school in the diocese and the first one added to the diocesan rolls since St. John Neumann School in Farragut opened in 1997. Chesterton Academy in Knoxville took root four and a half years ago and officially opened Aug. 9, 2023, in a storefront on the east side of town before moving this past fall to a larger West Knoxville site. The big announcement “is huge news,” said Mr. Summers, a parishioner of Holy Ghost in Knoxville. “This is the best news we’ve seen in the last four and a half years,” he said. “There are many who have waited to hear, both institutions and individuals, whether or not we have recognition from the local bishop, even if we have explained that we are canonical. This is a local seal of approval, which really gives authenticity to our claims and I hope helps with enrollment.” Chesterton was “canonically already a private association of the
Students’ turn to speak Chesterton Academy headmaster Zach Summers turned over the microphone at the Pearl Gala to sophomore Felicity Weber and freshman Danny Davis, who spoke about their experiences at the school. faithful and therefore a Catholic organization,” Mr. Summers said. “The bishop’s office has made that clear. By virtue of our baptism, we’re already a Catholic organization,” he said. “What this announcement says, coming from the bishop, is that the diocese, the bishop, recognizes us as a Catholic organization. . . . It’s
basically a seal of approval with the bishop recognizing us.” Chesterton is an autonomous school, Mr. Summers noted. “Most people don’t understand that 99 percent of Catholic schools are what you might call parochial Catholic schools,” he said. “However, given the fact that they’re in
the 99 percent, often the ‘parochial’ bit is dropped and it’s just ‘Catholic schools,’ but there exists another 1 percent that are homeschools or autonomous Catholic schools. “That’s what we are—an autonomous Catholic school. . . . We will have to report to the bishop for our Chesterton continued on page B2
Diocesan educators gather for in-service More than 370 realize it was not ‘you who chose me but I who chose you . . . to bear fruit that will remain’ By Dan McWilliams
DAN MCWILLIAMS
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irtually every Catholic school teacher, principal, and counselor in East Tennessee attended the annual Diocesan Professional Development Day—aka in-service—on Feb. 18 at All Saints Church and Knoxville Catholic High School. The day began with Mass at All Saints celebrated by Bishop Mark Beckman and continued at the high school with a keynote talk, lunch, and breakout sessions. Concelebrating the Mass were Father Randy Stice of KCHS; Father Ray Powell, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge; Father Michael Cummins, pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Kingsport; Father Chris Michelson, president of St. Joseph School in Knoxville and special adviser to the president of KCHS, Father Jorge Mejia, an associate pastor of All Saints; and Father Ron Nuzzi, the keynote speaker, a priest of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, and a veteran educator. The parishes of Father Powell and Father Cummins have schools, St. Mary in Oak Ridge and St. Dominic in Kingsport. Deacon Joe Stackhouse was deacon of the Word at Mass, and Deacon David Lucheon was deacon of the altar. “It is so good to be together to celebrate as educators the gift of the faith the Lord has given us as we hand that faith on to the next generation,” Bishop Beckman said at the start of Mass. “I want to welcome all of you this morning as we gather
Bishop and school leaders Diocesan principals and presidents pose with Bishop Mark Beckman and George Valadie (far right), interim superintendent of Catholic Schools, before Mass at All Saints Church on in-service day Feb. 18. With the bishop and Mr. Valadie are (from left) Bonnie Saleh, principal, St. Dominic; Dickie Sompayrac, president, Knoxville Catholic; Caroline Carlin, principal, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Kelly Mechelke, principal, St. John Neumann; Mary Sue Kosky, principal, Sacred Heart; Becky Frye, principal, St. Mary, Johnson City; Eric Schexnaildre, president, Notre Dame; Sister Mary John Slonkosky, OP, principal, St. Mary, Oak Ridge; and Andy Zengel, principal, St. Joseph. Not pictured is Joshua Overton, principal, St. Jude. for a day of in-service and also want to thank the people of All Saints who are joining us for the regular daily Mass for welcoming so many of us extra folks this morning.”
‘Still learning from the Lord’
The bishop referred in his homily to the day’s Gospel from Mark 8:1421. The disciples were with Jesus in a boat, and they were worried because they had brought no bread— despite already having seen Jesus feed thousands on two occasions. “He asks them a couple of ques-
tions: ‘do you have eyes and you don’t see and ears and you don’t hear?” Bishop Beckman said. “I wonder how many of you all have been in a classroom where you’ve given instructions to your students, and afterward you think, ‘do you have eyes and you don’t see and ears and you don’t hear?’ The experience of not understanding—a teacher knows that experience, don’t you? And sometimes you’re told a week later, ‘well, you told us last week dot-dot-dot,’ and you know good and well you did not say, ‘dot-dot-
dot’ last week, right? It was something else you had said to them.” The bishop said he was “struck by the fact that the disciples, like all of us, have to go through a process of learning, and what they are learning unfolds slowly over time, doesn’t it?” “‘You’ve been with me all of this time, and still you don’t understand.’ They’re afraid that they didn’t bring enough bread with them,” Bishop Beckman said. “And Jesus has fed thousands, not once In-service continued on page B2