UPDATE: The flooding into the parking lot has ended and the water has evaporated, so the parking lot is now reopened. NOTICE: Due to flooding from the school sprinkler system onto the parking lot, and subsequent freezing of the parking lot, all parking lots and buildings are closed until Tuesday at noon. The 6:30 am and 8 am Masses will …
You Shall Not Defraud!
Reminder: Beware of Fraudsters! “What is communications scamming?” Scammers may pretend to be a clergyman or lay minister asking parishioners for gift card contributions. Scammers use email, text and even voice calls. Bogus emails often include a legitimate looking email address. Bogus text messages and voice calls may include a caller ID that appears to be from a local number, …
Sr. Marie Blanchette, O.P.
On Wednesday of this week, our school principal, Sr. Marie Blanchette, OP, sent the following message to parents of our school children: Dear Parents, I hope you had a wonderful Easter and a relaxing spring break. It is hard to believe that we only have 6 weeks left of school! Those of you who know the Dominican Sisters of St. …
Happy Easter, and Some Sad News
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I hope you’re all having a happy Easter Octave. After celebrating the Palm Sunday, Sacred Triduum and Easter Octave without the presence of parishioners last year, I’m very grateful that we had a sizable representation of the parish for these celebrations this year. Thank you for your patience and innovation over these past twelve …
Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the BVM
Dear Friends in Christ, The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Friday, March 19th. I encourage you to make a visit to the side altar of Saint Joseph on that day, and there to pray for all the husbands in our parish. Also, please pray the “Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Diocese of Knoxville” …
Pastor’s Update
Dear Friends in Christ, I thank Dave Duhamel for organizing our Lenten mission: “Conviction, Contrition, Conversion”. Sr. Scholastica, OP, will lead us in exploring how the intellect, emotions and will help us enter into Lent. See details and sign-up on our parish website. The teaching staff in our school is now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and many of …
40 Days to 40 Friends
Dear Friends in Christ, As we make our final preparations for the Lenten journey that leads us to Easter, I invite you to make this year’s journey one that will strengthen our parish by building friendships. There are parishioners you know well, parishioners you’d like to know better, and parishioners you don’t yet know at all. Our Lenten journey together …
Celebrating Mass During the Pandemic: Update
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thank you for your patient cooperation during these unusual months. As you’ll recall, in November Bishop Stika issued a revised decree on the celebration of Mass and other rites during this time of pandemic. That revision provides us an opportunity to evaluate our disease prevention efforts here at Saint Mary’s. After consultation with our …
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, For American Catholics, January 22nd is a day of reparation for unborn children whose lives have no legal protection. It is a day of prayer for the restoration of the legal right to life, and of penance for violations to human dignity committed through acts of abortion. The tens of millions of lives lost …
Happy Thanksgiving!
A Thanksgiving Day message from Father Shelton: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Happy Thanksgiving! We all have many reasons to be thankful today. God gives us the gift of life, and he surrounds us with the lives of others who care for us as family, friends and neighbors. I’m especially grateful for the members of Saint Mary Parish, and …
Liberalism, Integralism and Evangelization: A Pastor Reflects Upon Christ the King
“Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honor and obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the last judgment, wherein Christ, who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected and ignored, will most severely …
A Renewed Option for Holy Communion
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In a canonical decree issued on November 9th, Bishop Stika altered his earlier decree pertaining to the distribution of Holy Communion during the present pandemic. The alteration permits the distribution of Holy Communion onto the tongues of communicants, in the manner traditional to the Roman Rite. This alteration takes effect on the First Sunday …