News and Events

Kimberly Russell is a recent convert to the Catholic faith. She and her husband Robert and two daughters joined the Basilica parish in 2022. Kimberly is having surgery at Vanderbilt on January 23 and has asked for prayers. Click for details.

Your gift not only funds many of the operations of the Diocese of Knoxville, it funds services that are of great help to the ministries here in our parish, including: Religious Education programs, Campus Ministry, Youth Ministry, Hispanic Ministry, Tribunal, and Catholic Charities. Each Appeal gift enables the diocese to build up the kingdom of God throughout East Tennessee. Please answer Bishop Stika’s request and make a commitment to the annual appeal.

ALL WOMEN are invited to the Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Lenoir City, April 20-22. Come 1, 2 or all 3 days. The conference brings together women from across the Diocese to share in spirituality and holy sisterhood. On Thursday, there will be a Memorial Mass with Bishop Stika, honoring women in the Diocese who have died during the last year followed by a banquet with Keynote Speaker Melissa Foley. On Saturday, Fr. John Arthur Orr will speak on the Eucharist as the food for our journey. Early Registration is $125. Click for more information and visit the KDCCW.Org website.

Basilica parishioner Lynn Elverd, a veteran servant of our Altar Ministry and Religious Education program, had been having severe back pain with difficulty walking and lifting her arms for several weeks. She went to the ER on August 26, 2022, and discovered she had multiple spine fractures. Oncology tests have revealed she has a form of cancer, Kappa Light Chain Myeloma. Following several months of chemo treatment, her pain is lessening. The next step is a stem cell treatment at the Sarah Cannon Center in Nashville. Doctors are hopeful she is on track for remission. Please pray for Lynn's healing, the difficulties ahead as she loses immunity, and the ability to manage her pain. (Click for more info)

Having trouble hearing the homily? We now have hearing assistance available through listening devices or through your smartphone, with the “Listen Everywhere” app. Look for the “Assisted Hearing” display in the vestibule. We are looking for volunteers to help us get these devices and the app to people at Mass. Click for details.  

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away the morning of December 31, 2022, at the age of 95. Click to read Pope Benedict's own spiritual testament, his obituary, and several articles regarding his illness, death, and funeral. Please pray for the repose of the soul of +Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Laura Duford suffers from complete heart block and several other heart conditions. She was scheduled to get her 5th pacemaker (now postponed to Feb. 13, 2023), and she is need of prayers for her surgery, the surgery team, and her anticipated 6-week recovery. Laura and Dave Duford and their four young children are active at the Basilica and appreciate the prayers of the parish family. Click here to read more about Laura's health conditions and suggested prayers.

We are recruiting volunteers for two very important liturgical ministries in our parish: our Usher/Greeter ministry – to provide welcome and help to all who come through our doors, and our Sacristan ministry - to prepare the altar for Holy Mass. Training will be provided. Contact the parish office to discuss these opportunities.

We have a few spots left for women of all ages for a retreat Feb. 3-5 at the Bethany House in Dickson, TN! The title is Beyond the Noise and it will be led by Fr. Christopher Floersh. Afternoon walks, rosary, lectio divina, divine chapter, quiet time, holy hour, fellowship, and daily Mass. The Dominican Sisters pamper us with home-cooked meals and top-notch accommodations. Friday evening at 5 through Noon on Sunday (Central Time).

It is traditional for parish priests to bless chalk for each family so that they may mark the names of the three Magi over their doors, in the blessing of homes as a witness of their faith and protection against evil. After Mass on the weekend of Jan. 7 & 8, 2023, you can pick up blessed chalk in the vestibule, and take it home for a traditional Epiphany House Blessing. Click to see the instructional flyer.

Click to see the list of honorary Christmas poinsettia donations for 2022. To make a donation for Christmas flowers for our altar in memory or honor of a loved one in any amount, please indicate with names on the payment envelope, or contact the parish office if donating online. Thank you for your gift!

Tau House in located in Cincinnati, Ohio. They offer youth groups the opportunity to spend a week living in community while volunteering during the day for area non-profit organizations. They focus on simplicity, spirituality, and service. Mission trip is open to 9th through 12th graders. Cost is $600. Fundraising is encouraged. Spots are limited. If you are interested, please fill out the forms to register. 

On Sept. 29, 2022, Cate Mueller went to the hospital for what she thought was a stroke, and she was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that has also spread to parts of her brain. She has undergone radiation and chemotherapy, and is planning to undergo immunotherapy for most of 2023. So far the side effects have been minimal and she has tolerated the treatments with grace and even humor. Cate is married to Dan Mueller, our Basilica Usher Coordinator and Knights of Columbus Liaison, and she is active at the Basilica as a Lector and a member of the Finance Council. Please pray for Cate and her family. Click to read more.

Marc Aramian was diagnosed with throat cancer on June 30, 2022. He underwent brutal treatment beginning July 18, with some side effects which may be permanent. Marc's follow-up PET scan on Dec. 5. showed that he is cancer-free! He is slowly recovering from the harsh treatment on his throat, still impairing his swallow, taste, and voice. Thank you for your prayers for Marc and his wife, Veronica DiPippo, as they went through this trial, and please continue to pray as he recovers. Click to learn more about Marc .

14-year-old Basilica parishioner, Lorelei Truett, daughter of Lance and Ashley Truett, passed away on Dec. 2, 2021, after a seven-month battle with leukemia that was diagnosed on April 27, 2021. Let us surround her family with our prayers. May Lorelei rest in peace. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Lorelei's Funeral Mass was celebrated at the Basilica Saturday, December 11. (Click to read much more about Lorelei, and for ways to support the Truett family.)