background image

Cardinal Rigali to speak at Diocesan Day on Aug. 21

By Dan McWilliams

Diocesan Day returns this summer with Bishop Richard F. Stika and longtime friend Cardinal Justin F. Rigali scheduled to speak.

Sacred Heart Cathedral will host Diocesan Day 2010 on Saturday, Aug. 21. The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.

The cardinal, the archbishop of Philadelphia and a member and former chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pro-Life Activities Committee, will speak twice for this year’s event.

“Cardinal Rigali will give the keynote as well as an afternoon reflection on the pontificate of Pope John Paul II, with a question-and-answer period,” said Paul Simoneau, director of the Diocesan Office of Justice and Peace and the coordinator of Diocesan Day. “The timing is appropriate because there’s hope that John Paul will be beatified this October.”

Bishop Stika will be the homilist for the Diocesan Day Mass, which will begin at 11:30 a.m., and he will provide a reflection after the lunch break.

This year’s theme is “Feed My Sheep,” and the cardinal will base his keynote talk on the Scripture readings for the memorial of Pope St. Pius X. The focus of the day, said Mr. Simoneau, is the teaching role of the bishop in union with the pope.

The event will begin a half-hour later than normal to allow travelers from the farther reaches of the diocese more time to reach Knoxville.

Proceeds of the day will benefit Catholic Charities’ Pregnancy Help Services as well as Catholic Relief Services.

Mr. Simoneau encourages East Tennessee Catholics to register during “the early-bird special,” which will save them $5 and make matters easier for Diocesan Day organizers.

Registration is $20 through July 21 and $25 from July 22 through Aug. 16 (lunch included). Registration after Aug. 16 costs $25 but does not include lunch. Student registration is $10. Priests and religious may attend free but must register.

Register online at dioknox.org (select Events, then Event Registration) or visit bit.ly/DiocesanDay2010. For details, call Mr. Simoneau at 865-584-3307.

Tags: , ,