Bulletin Article: July 11

This Tuesday at 6pm we will have the third in a series of six rosaries which are held on the 13th of each month in conjunction with adoration. These series of rosaries are being done on the 13th of each month from May-October due to the apparitions of Fatima taking place on the 13th of each month from May-October. I invite each of you to attend this rosary as we pray for all those who have been effected by COVID-19, that people may return to Mass, that our parish community may continue to grow, and for the success of our parish celebration on September 12th.

On September 11th the Diocese of Knoxville will hold a virtual conference entitled, “A Gathering of Church: A Welcome Home Celebration Across the Diocese of Knoxville” from 10am-5pm. The keynote speaker for this event is Gus Loyd who is the host of “Seize the Day” which airs on Sirius XM’s The Catholic Channel. In order to attend this event you will need to come to our parish or another parish in the Diocese of Knoxville where this conference will be streamed. This time will also provide time for prayer, adoration, and fellowship.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

7th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

In all things Christ is to be placed at the center of our life. To this unity of faith we are to flock, but we must also stay on guard against those who desire to lead us astray. As the Gospel of Saint Matthew stated: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

With the voices of so many coming at us, far left and far right, it is important that we desire to be orthodox in all of our beliefs. If something is to be orthodox it is found to be faithful and accurate. If we follow the orthodox way we remain within the confines of the Church and follow after Christ who is in the words of the Gospel of Saint John, is “the way, and the truth, and the life.”

We must remember that the world isn’t perfect. Therefore, there are those within the Church who have a false understanding of Church teaching or even worse twist Church teaching to the point that it no longer reflects Christ and an authentic reflection of the Gospel. Where there is ignorance we should pursue knowledge even if knowledge calls us to change something about our life. Christ always leads us towards conversion.

Among these many false prophets there is a call which leads towards division for we no longer allow ourself to be unified in Christ Jesus. A saintly person does not say and do things in order to lead others into their cult of faith, but rather into an authentic relationship with Christ and His Church on this earth. If we are to stay close to Christ and His Church we must come to pursue sound doctrine.

Sound doctrine is the orthodox teachings of the Church. Sound doctrine is not left nor right, but is truth. False prophets lead us from one extreme to the other, but they fail to lead us towards the truth of Christ. These false prophets may give great testimony, but we must ask if what they have to say is in line with Christ and the Church’s teachings.

If we are not to be swayed one way or the other we must be grounded in this sound doctrine. This means there is a need for us to study the faith that we profess. We must come to understand and know the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The catechism assists us remaining grounded when we begin to hear the testimony of false prophets who do nothing more then sway as one way or the other thus ultimately removing our attention from Christ.

We cannot be led to believe that the faith is relative and changing. We cannot be led to believe that the ways of old are superior to what is currently professed. No matter the day and age the faith always remains the same. At its heart it is unchanging for this is the faith which was handed on to the apostles and which continues to be handed onto us. Let us avoid all false prophets and always come to orient our sight upon Christ Jesus.

15th Sunday of OT Year B Homily

We must remember that a sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ which bestows grace. Grace is a gift which is given to us by God and therefore is not something that we can give to ourself or to one another. The transferral of grace is important because through the sacraments we are receiving a gift that only God can give. There are seven sacraments and one of them is known to us as Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament was alluded to when we were told in our Gospel, “and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”

The sacrament is also alluded to by the apostle James: “Are there people sick among you? Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick persons, and the Lord will raise them up. If they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them.”

The USCCB puts this sacrament into further context by stating: “When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God’s will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.”

Those who can receive this sacrament must be in danger of death due to sickness or old age. Some falsely think that this sacrament can only be received once, that this sacrament is given only right before someone breathes their final breath, or once one has actually died. The sacraments only aid the living and therefore those who have died are unable to receive them. I implore you to contact the Church whenever serious illness comes about, that may result in the possibility of death, even if this possibility may be statistically improbable. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states of those who are ill: “Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn towards that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him.”

Through Anointing of the Sick one invites God’s grace into their life at one of life’s most difficult moments. Serious illness and death are part of the human condition, but we do not have to undergo these realities alone. Let us do so with the assistance of God’s grace. The Church offers those who are in danger of death to be consoled in the Sacraments of Confession, through Anointing of the Sick, and through the Most Holy Eucharist.

Let us always come to trust in the Lord who protects us and leads us to everlasting life.

Bulletin Article: July 4

Each week it is so wonderful to see so many familiar faces who have been away from our parish due to the pandemic. It is also wonderful to see the faces of our new members and visitors. Please continue to check on those who still feel that they are unable to attend Mass in person. At this point our weekly attendance is down roughly 200 from what would of been an average weekend prior to the pandemic. Let us join in prayer to pray for one another and our parish community that we may continue to grow in our weekly attendance. Very soon we will have a few activities to draw light to this matter. On August 1st we will welcome new comers to our parish in a formal way, on August 14/15 we will have a ministry fair in hope of engaging people into the life of the parish, and on September 12th we will hold our parish celebration. 

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

6th Sunday After Pentecost Homily

The Lord said concerning the multitude: “for behold they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat and if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way.”

Therefore, the Lord in His infinite mercy looked upon the multitude and responded to their need. He realized that in order for them to make it along the way they would need proper sustenance to sustain them.

The same held true concerning the Israelites who were led out of slavery and into the desert. Once in the desert they toiled about for a period of 40 years as they made their way to the Promised Land. During this period of time they began to curse God for they believed that it would be better if they went back into slavery for they were hungry and tired. God responded to their call and sent down food from Heaven which would feed them in order that they would make it to their destination.

Likewise, the Lord fed this multitude by taking the seven loaves and the fish and multiplying it in order that all could eat. This food served not only as bodily sustenance, but also came to feed their soul in order that they could always move forward along the way.

The way is our path towards Heaven. Along this path we need this same sustenance or we will only grow tired and faint along the way. As bread came down from Heaven we must know that the Lord gives us something so much better in the Most Holy Eucharist. As the Lord worked this miracle we must know that the Lord does something so much better then what took place on that day.

We must place our trust in Jesus for it is He who sustains our spiritual life. As is stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church concerning the Eucharist: it “preserves, increases, and renews the life of grace,” it “separates us from sin,” and it “preserves us from future moral sins.”

Whenever we have the opportunity to assist at Mass and receive the Eucharist we have the opportunity to nourish our soul with this new bread from heaven which comes to sustain our spiritual life. It is this Heavenly Food which becomes our food for the journey from this life to our Heavenly homeland. Along the way there will be trials and tribulations, but we must remember that we have everything that we will ever need in the Eucharist for to receive the Eucharist is to receive Christ.

Christ is truly food for the journey which are reflected in the words of Saint Thomas Aquinas: “Sweetest Jesus, Body and Blood most Holy, be the delight and pleasure of my soul, my strength and salvation to all temptations, my joy and peace in every trial, my lights and guide in every word and deed, and my final protection in death. Amen.”