Bulletin Article: January 30

Today kicks off Catholic Schools Week. Our parish has been blessed with being entrusted with the care of a school. I am thankful for our principal, teachers, staff, and families who help to make our school an outstanding example of education and the Catholic faith. If you are interested in enrolling your children in our school or taking a tour of the school please contact Andrew Cooper at the school office.

Next weekend will be the annual bishop’s appeal. The bishop’s appeal assists in funding many ministries of this diocese. Therefore, through your assistance we are able to assist in funding Catholic Charities, Christian formation, the mobile clinic, campus ministries, efforts of justice and peace, seminarian formation, and clergy formation. I ask that you prayerfully consider giving to this appeal especially through  your prayers concerning the continued success of these ministries of the diocese.

February 2nd is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. On this day the candles for the parish for the next year will be blessed at both Masses, 7am and 8:30am. You are invited to bring candles with you to Mass to have blessed. On the Memorial of Saint Blaise, February 3rd, throats will be blessed at both Masses, 7am and 8:30am. Throats will also be blessed at the conclusion of ever Mass on the weekend of February 5/6.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins

4th Sunday in OT Year C Homily

Today we officially begin Catholic Schools Week. This week serves as a celebration of Catholic education and its continued importance for the church and the world. As a parish we have been entrusted with the ministry of a Catholic school. Saint Mary School is a blessing to this community and continues to be a vibrant school which oversees the education of the children entrusted to its care. Please continue to pray for the students, teachers, and staff of our school. Following Mass there will be an open house of our school. I invite you and your family to walk the halls of our school for this is indeed one of the ministries of our parish.

Next weekend we will hold the annual bishop’s appeal. This year the bishop’s appeal has been entitled, “Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries: Building up the Church in East Tennessee.” This is the perfect title to this appeal because it highlights the importance of ministry and how ministry helps to build up the Church. Inside of your bulletin you will find an insert which outlines the many ways in which this appeal goes to aid the many ministries which make up the Diocese of Knoxville, and in some ways even serve our own parish community.

At our parish we continue to have many generous people who make up the many ministries of this parish. This is seen through our financial commitment to this parish, our gift of time to the various activities of this parish, and the gift of the talents of so many who use what they are good at to the benefit of this parish community. About six months ago our parish held it’s Stewarship Appeal where many committed themselves to this important area of parish life known as stewardship. Among our parish life we have so many ministries which continue to function despite the difficulties with modern day life when it pertains to the struggles that exist due to COVID-19.

Likewise, the diocese has many ministries which it continues to oversee. In order to fund these various ministries the success of the bishop’s appeal is very important. The bishop’s appeal assists the local Church of East Tennessee to going out from itself and reaching so many who find themselves in need. Through the bishop’s appeal we are able to provide for the needs of Catholic Charities and the mobile clinic which goes out to impoverished areas of our diocese. We are able to assist with the education of our youth in the faith especially those at college campuses such as ETSU. We are able to provide for the education of seminarians and clergy which serves the whole church of East Tennessee no matter our parish.

Saint Paul’s Epistle documented to us the importance of the virtue of love. To enter into ministry is to participate in the love of Christ. The love of Christ always sends us outward to be found in service for others. In this manner we assist in building up the Church for all. I thank each of you for your continued commitment to ministry at our parish for this is indeed a form of love. Please pray for the success of this year’s bishop’s appeal in order that we may continue to provide for the many ministries which make up the Diocese of Knoxville.

Bulletin Article: January 23

I thank those who have participated in the synod survey and our Synod listening sessions. Our listening session in Spanish was postponed due to weather and has been rescheduled for February 6th following the 12pm Mass. the survey and listening sessions have helped to give feedback which will be helpful for future parish council meetings and future parish open forums. Our next parish open forum will be February 28th from 7-8pm.

Next Sunday we kick off Catholic Schools Week. Our parish is blessed to have a parish school that is attached to it. Following each Mass there will be an open house at our school. I think that it is important that all parishioners take time to see our school. There are many who have commented that it has been a long time since they have seen our school. During this time the classrooms will be open, student artwork will be on the walls, and refreshments will be served. Please join us in coming to see Saint Mary School.

In Christ,

Fr. Dustin Collins 

3rd Sunday After Epiphany Homily

A leper came to adore Him. 

Through the Eucharist we have the opportunity to adore the same Lord that this leper came to adore. In the Church we have the beautiful expression of faith which is known to us as Eucharistic adoration. It is here that we have the opportunity to remain with the Lord in prayer as He is present with us in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

The centurion came to state, “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou should enter under my roof: but only say the word and my servant shall be healed.” These are the same words which we exclaim with the confidence of faith prior to receiving Holy Communion. The USCCB reminds us that Eucharistic adoration is an extension of this invitation that comes to us during the Mass. As they state, “Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church.”

Saint John Paul II understood the importance of the Eucharist in writing “Dominicae Cenae” “On the Mystery and Worship of the Eucharist.” Here he wrote, “Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love… Let us be generous with our tine in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world by our adoration never cease.” These words are so true for they remind us of Christ who is present with us in the Eucharist and remind us of the importance of coming to adore Him.

Within this world there is so much to which we devote our time. Christ is indeed the answer to which our heart longs. The leper longed for Him and came to be healed. The centurion understood the importance of the one to whom he invited to enter into his home. So too we have the opportunity to dwell with Christ. There is indeed a lot which is going on within this world, but may we always make Him the priority of our life. There is always time if only we would make Him the priority.

At one time our parish was able to sustain perpetual adoration. Due to COVID-19 we had to close our chapel and since it has been hard to fill the various hours of the day. Let us continue to pray for the restoration of perpetual adoration to our parish. When we are able let us respond to by filling the various hours of the day with adores. Currently we are able to fill Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Very soon I hope to move towards adding an additional day to the schedule. Hopefully, we will place our trust in the Lord and one day be able to reopen our perpetual adoration chapel by filling the 24 hour period for each day of the week.

Therefore, like the leper let us come to adore Him. Let us invite Him under our roof and from this encounter be moved towards adoration of our Lord and God. There is no greater reality then this for the Eucharist should be the source and summit of our life. Even when exposition is not taking place we can pray before the tabernacle; even when we are unable to come before the tabernacle in prayer we can allow our mind to go there. Let us adore the Lord always in thought, word, and deed.

3rd Sunday of OT Year C Homily

The first line of the prayer given to us for the Synod states: “We stand before You, Holy Spirit as we gather together in Your name.” This image of the Holy Spirit is one which is important because it is the Holy Spirit who leads us into an encounter with truth. It was the Holy Spirit who came down upon the apostles and drove them forth into the world to carry out their ministry. Along the way there was hardship and moments of contention, but in the end the Holy Spirit continues to move the Church into this modern age and for all eternity.

Likewise, with an open heart we must ask the Holy Spirit to come down upon us. Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Corinthians reminds us that despite being many parts we become one body in Christ. It is the Holy Spirit which joins us together as one through our baptism. Despite the complexities of the body we must remain one. There is not a piece of the body that is unimportant because we need to be one. It is the Holy Spirt who we must remain open to in order that all division may cease.

As our Epistle states: “But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body.” Whenever division enters into a community a cancer enters into it. Division is highlighted by an unwillingness to enter into dialogue and listening to a reason for difference. So often we go closed off to developing an openness to the Holy Spirit who desires that we discern where we ought to be headed. We must join together for the good of the Church by remaining open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. These promptings will lead us into acting with charity.

Saint Paul beautifully points out the many ways in which we have been sent forth. Some apostles, some prophets, and some teachers. We are each a part of “Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.” We each have our role to play that was begun in us at the very moment of our baptism. Through the waters of baptism we were claimed for Christ Jesus and sent forth by Him through the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Concerning the Synod Pope Francis has remarked, “The synodal process in a path of engagement that makes room for the Holy Spirit, and not a majority consensus like a parliament to guide the universal church.” Let each of us, no matter our role, continue to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, let us do what we can in order to remain one, and let us be willing to work for the good of Christ and His Church on this earth.

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it. We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.