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Bishop Richard F. Stika got his first look inside the heavily damaged Catholic Charities of East Tennessee headquarters in Knoxville and spent time before that visiting with CCETN staff and volunteers who are still coping in the aftermath of a fire there Sunday night.

This synodal process begins in Rome on the weekend of Oct. 9-10, 2022, and officially starts in the Diocese of Knoxville and all dioceses around the world on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Advent is a season of preparation and penance, the beginning of the Church's liturgical year, and the season leading up to the celebration of Christmas.

One man making a donation of household items has turned into a 20-year ministry with dozens of volunteers regularly delivering food to multiple ministries. The food delivery ministry at St. John Neumann Church in Farragut carries on the tradition of Ted Denning and brings food to the needy in East Tennessee.

When Jesus taught His followers about the Eucharist, explaining that they must “eat His body” and “drink His blood,” many responded, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” Sadly, “As a result of this, many [of] His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him” (John 6:60, 66).

National Vocations Awareness Week is Nov. 7-13. Please pray for those discerning vocations as priests, deacons, and consecrated men and women.

Leaders of the Synod for a Synodal Church have announced members of the Diocesan Synod Team and group coordinators who will help fulfill the first phase of Pope Francis’ call to canvass the entire Catholic Church for the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops in Rome in 2023.

The Catholic Schools Raffle supports the ten Diocese of Knoxville Catholic schools and the Tuition Assistance Fund.

The Diocese of Knoxville will be starting a new class of permanent deacons in 2022 and is now reaching out to Catholic men interested in joining the clergy.

Sister María Imelda Quechol and Sister Eloísa Torralba Aquino, Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” who serve in Chattanooga, have been selected as finalists for Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi Award, given to people “who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve.”

As the newspaper for the Diocese of Knoxville, The East Tennessee Catholic has shared stories of diocesan celebrations, parish milestones, and the growing faith of the Catholic Church in East Tennessee for 30 years.

The Paraclete is no longer just the West Knoxville Catholic gifts and books store. Changes that have taken place on the inside reveal an expanding customer base, with sales now from coast to coast and suppliers from as far away as Italy.

Parishes and schools within the Diocese of Knoxville are doing their best to ease the concerns of parishioners by teaming with public health officials to administer the COVID vaccine free of charge in parish facilities.

A second collection will be taken the weekend of Aug. 28-29 to assist with Haiti’s relief aid and with efforts to help rebuild the country following a devastating earthquake on Aug. 14.

Bishop Stika offers statement and prayers for people of Haiti and Afghanistan

Bishop Richard F. Stika presided at the memorial Mass and re-entombment of Servant of God Father Patrick Ryan on July 31 at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Bishop Richard F. Stika offers a statement on the use of masks in diocesan Catholic schools as the school year begins.

Deacon Matthew Donahue will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, Aug. 7 at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Mass will be live-streamed from the cathedral's YouTube page.

As part of process toward canonization, the remains of Father Patrick Ryan will be transferred from Mount Olivet Cemetery to the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. Bishop Richard F. Stika will celebrate Memorial Mass and Blessing of the Tomb at the basilica on Saturday, July 31, at 11 a.m.

Bishop Richard F. Stika has issued a letter regarding the Holy Father’s recent Apostolic Letter issued motu proprio Traditionis Custodes (“Guardians of the Tradition”).