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If you’re a young person looking for community and friendships, Catholic Chatt is a place for young adults ages 18-39 to grow in faith, support each other, and build Catholic community in Chattanooga. The Catholic Chatt group, directed by our Basilica parishioner, Patrick Hanus, plans hiking, game nights, socials, bonfires and more throughout the year and would love for you to join them. Visit their website at CatholicChatt.com, and sign up for event alerts.

We have just a few spots left for women of all ages for a retreat Feb. 4-6 at the Bethany House in Dickson, TN! Fr. Michael Cummins will teach how different saints listened through the ear of their heart and followed God. 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)

The Bieszad family of eight experienced a crisis in April 2021 when the children were separated from them, while extensive repairs and improvements were needed in their home. The family has gotten through the challenges and are settled together in their home, which was renovated with the help of Basilica parishioners. Andrew is now working at a local hospital, and Jessica is hoping to pursue a nursing degree. They are grateful for all the support. Read more about the Bieszads here: https://stspeterandpaulbasilica.com/news/prayer-and-help-needed-to-reunite-the-bieszad-family Click to learn more about their story.

The Church has begun a Papal Synod. In response to the invitation of our Pope and our Bishop, please visit synodsurvey.org to complete an anonymous 20-minute survey about your experiences with your local church, faith/religion and other circumstances. Catholics and non-Catholics of East Tennessee, ages 14 and up, are invited. Survey will close at 11:59pm Jan. 30. Thank you for your input.

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.)

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. 1 & 2, 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.

Our RCIA candidates and catechumens have been meeting weekly since September to learn the Catholic faith. Sunday, Jan. 9th, at the 9:00 English Mass and the 1:30 Spanish Mass, they will participate in the Rite of Welcome. WE NEED SPONSORS to accompany the candidates on their faith journey. Please pray for our candidates, and contact our RCIA Coordinator, Dan Pacitti (rcia@stspeterandpaulbasilica.com), or call the parish office this week if you are interested in serving someone as a sponsor. Thank you!

After the past year with no receptions, we are preparing to resume our Reception Ministry gradually as the safety provisions allow. We need your help! The Reception ministry is an ideal opportunity for new and long-time parishioners to exercise hospitality, share your talents, get involved in our activities, and connect with fellow parishioners. Click to find out more...

The Basilica took up a second collection at our weekend Masses on Dec. 25 & 26 to assist the Diocese of Owensboro, KY following the catastrophic tornadoes there on Dec. 10-11. You may donate online at any time. Click for more information.

SEEK is a 3 day conference that will have over 1200 college students seeking an encounter with Jesus while immersed in Catholic community, participating in Sacraments, receiving talks from dynamic Catholic speakers, and prayer. For many students who are on the fence about following Christ this conference is a life-changing event. Please prayerfully consider donating to sponsor a student's conference attendance. Click for more info on donating.

The Basilica is seeking adults aged 18 and up with experience caring for pre-school-aged children to attend the nursery on Sundays from 8:45am to 1:00pm, for $45/Sunday. Reliable attendance is expected on a rotation to include most Sundays and occasional special events. Practicing Catholics preferred. Safe Environment training and background check required. Interested candidates should email admin@stspeterandpaulbasilica.com. *** We are also looking for a safe small crib and a swing in good condition for our nursery. Donations appreciated! ***

The Chattanooga Area Food Bank needs help! Please bring food donations to the Basilica vestibule. Right now, the most needed food items are proteins, rice, beans, stuffing, soups, and anything easy to open and microwavable. They also need cash gifts. The same dollar this year buys 25% less food than last year. They also need volunteers to sort and pack food. Click here for more information, or call the Chattanooga area Food Bank at 423-622-1800.

The St. Ambrose Catholic Homeschool Co-Op is happy to announce the in-person return of their annual Advent Candle Sales. St. Ambrose families will be selling candles before and after all Masses the weekends of November 6/7, 13/14, and 20/21. Candles are $6 for a box of four 12-inch tapers. To pre-order candles, contact the co-op at stambrosecoop@gmail.com. Friday pickup also available via pre-arrangement at the same e-mail address. Thank you for your support of this Basilica ministry.

National Vocation Awareness Week will be celebrated in our country November 7-13, 2021. Please ask Our Lord for more dedicated, holy priests, deacons and consecrated men and women. May they be inspired by Jesus Christ, supported by our faith community, and respond generously to God’s gift of a vocation.

Our 2021-22 Annual Stewardship Appeal is beginning. This appeal is to support the regular operation of our parish through Offertory giving. It is separate from the Under One Roof campaign to replace our aging roof and heating & air conditioner systems. We are aiming for 100% participation in our Offertory by all parishioners.The pledge will be conducted during Mass on October 23 & 24 (Click to view and submit the pledge on our Stewardship page at any time.) Thank you for your generous support for our parish.

Support the school of your choice and the regional Catholic Schools Tuition Assistance Funds to help qualifying families! The Basilica partners with Notre Dame High School. Click here to buy tickets for the NDHS raffle: https://www.myndhs.com/support/raffle, or go to any Dio Knox Catholic school’s website to buy tickets online. $10 each to win 1 of 16 prizes, with a $5,000 cash prize! Ticket sales up to Dec. 28. Drawing will be held on Jan. 11, 2022.

Patricia Carney's funeral will be held at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 1:30pm. All are invited to come and pray for her soul. Patricia was diagnosed with COVID-19 after symptoms began on Sept. 4, and she was admitted to the COVID ICU on Sept. 13. After receiving last rites and shortly after returning home to reunite with her children, she passed away on September 23 at 9:35pm, in the presence of her six children. A nurse with many years of child care experience, Patricia had recently accepted the position as one of our new Nursery attendants but had not had a chance to begin serving. Please pray for the repose of her soul and for her family.

Joseph Shramko, a teen in our parish and an NDHS student, suffered a serious fall on April 8. He began a lengthy healing process from several brain injuries, including rehabilitation at Shepherd Center in Atlanta. Six months since the accident, he is now home in Chattanooga to complete rehab and the family is finally reunited! The Shramkos are praying for Joseph's full functional recovery, and they are asking for our prayers especially through the intercession of Fr. Patrick Ryan. They have set up a Caring Bridge site to share updates and needs. Click for updates, ways to help, and to access Joseph's Caring Bridge site.

Autumn Ember Days of 2021 fall on Sept. 15, 17, & 18 or Sept. 22, 24, & 25, depending on the calendar. While a fast is not obligatory, it can be a worthy and traditional spiritual practice to fast or abstain in some way on these days. For folks using the 1962 (or newer) calendar, the Autumn Ember Days will fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the third Sunday in September (i.e., Sept. 22, 24, and 25, 2021). This will always follow Holy Cross Day, but the days might not fall in the same week that honors the Feast of the Holy Cross (which is always September 14). Older calendars will have the Autumn Ember Days as the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday that immediately come after Holy Cross Day, no matter how many Sundays come before. (i. e., Sept. 15, 17, and 18, 2021). Click for more info at https://www.fisheaters.com/emberdays.html

In the spirit of the Visitation, would you consider bringing the joy of the Real Presence of Jesus to the homebound or hospital-bound? Training will be provided for current Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and those who are not yet enlisted as Extraordinary Ministers. Contact Dcn. Gaspar DeGaetano to join the Blessed Virgin Mary Visitation Guild in this mission of mercy. Click for details.