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Los Caballeros de Colon de Tennessee te invitan a unirte a la fraternidad Católica de beneficios más grande en el mundo Gratuitamente hasta Junio 30, 2021, usando el código de descuento MCGIVNEY2020 en www.kofc.org/join. Si tú eres un bautizado, practicante hombre Católico, de 18 años o mayor, por favor únete hoy!

On Feb. 5, 2021, Fr. Carter interviewed Sandy Pricer, Basilica parishioner and President/Co-founder of the RISE UP Cooperative, a social service initiative to help at-risk teens and young adults gain life skills. The interview is presented in Fr. Carter's pastor's notes for Feb. 14 and Feb. 21, 2021, and the full transcript and video are included below.

DYM, the Basilica of Sts. Peter & Paul's Downtown Youth Ministry, will be offering Wednesday in-person meetings 6-8pm and Sunday virtual meetings 6:30-8pm beginning in Lent! All 6th to 12th grade students are welcome! Click for schedule details.

During Lent, we will offer Friday Adoration and Stations of the Cross, a virtual Lenten Parish Mission March 1 & 2, a penance service on March 15, and a food drive/collection in conjunction with the Solemnity of St. Joseph. The CSO will be offering concerts Palm Sunday weekend. We have made special accommodations to support the need for social distancing during Holy Week, and we plan to live-stream all the Holy Week liturgies. Click to see the calendar for details.

The traditional Ember Days of fasting for Lent 2021 are Wed., Fri., and Sat., Feb. 24, 26, and 27. While a fast is not obligatory on these days, it can be a worthy and traditional spiritual practice to fast or abstain in some way on these days. See https://www.fisheaters.com/emberdays.html

Our Basilica parish community mourns the loss of 13-year old Frieyda Yojana Tomas Morales, who died suddently on Monday of a diabetic coma. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Basilica this Saturday, February 13, at 11:00 am. Friends have organized this fundraiser to help pay for the costs of the funeral home that they were unprepared for. Thank you for your prayers and generosity. Click for the link to donate.

The Bishop’s Appeal 2021 begins with a mailing that many of our parishioners have received from Bishop Stika asking for a generous commitment to this year’s Appeal. Your gift not only funds many of the operations of the Diocese of Knoxville, but also services that are of great help to our local parish community. For example, funds support our Religious Education programs, Campus Ministry, Youth Ministry, Hispanic Ministry, Tribunal, and Catholic Charities. Please answer Bishop Stika’s request and make a commitment to the annual appeal. In-pew pledge commitment will be Feb. 6-7. Click here for more info and to make your pledge online at any time.

On Jan. 12, 2021, Fr. Carter interviewed Dr. Jimmy Turner, Basilica parishioner and Chief Operations Officer of Chattanooga Community Kitchen. Dr. Turner talks about the causes of homelessness, ways you can best help the poor, the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, other agencies that provide a support network, and even answers the question about how to answer honestly when you are asked for cash. The full transcript of the interview can be found on the Basilica’s website along with Fr. Carter’s Pastor’s Notes for Jan. 24, Jan. 31, and Feb. 6, 2021, accessible at stspeterandpaulbasilica.com/pastors-notes

We have developed a Frequently Asked Questions document to adress questions that have come up about the Under One Roof Campaign. We urge you to review this FAQ document carefully. It is our goal to make sure that everyone is well informed about the projects we are undertaking and how important they are to the future of the Basilica.

We have an outstanding group of parishioners who have agreed to make up our campaign leadership team. (Click to see the list.) Please give prayerful consideration to serving as a volunteer if you are asked.

La hermana Imelda Quechol ha sido honrada como líder comunitaria destacada en la publicación HEROES 2020 de La Paz Chattanooga, especialmente por sus esfuerzos abnegados el año pasado para coordinar y brindar ayuda a los necesitados en el área de Chattanooga durante la pandemia y después de los tornados. ******** Congratulations to Sister Imelda Quechol, MAG, the Basilica's Hispanic Ministry Coordinator, who has been honored as a featured community leader in La Paz Chattanooga's HEROES 2020 publication, especially for her work this past year to help the needy during the pandemic and following the tornadoes. Click to read Sister Imelda's leadership profile and see a short documentary, and the mayor's congratulatory letter.

Due to changes in the tax laws, the parish has mailed 2020 contribution statements only to donors who contributed $5,000 or more. Bishop’s Appeal and Home Campaign contributions are not included. The Diocese will mail a separate statement. If you do not receive a statement and would like one, regardless of amount, contact the parish office at 423-266-1618. Thank you for your generous financial support.

Select the title to view a list of our regular scheduled ministry activities, and then click the name of the particular ministry for more information. Please note that parish activities on campus are limited during the coronavirus outbreak. However, many of our groups have resumed on-campus and others are continuing to meet virtually, outdoors, off-campus, etc.  

The first phase of our parish “Under One Roof” capital campaign is off to a great start.  We have composed a campaign prayer. We invite you to pray it to help invoke God’s blessings in this important project. You can find it in our bulletin, website, and also taped into our pews so that we can pray it together at Mass. 

Dear Parishioners, A campaign planning study was recently conducted at Sts. Peter and Paul to assess the needs of the Basilica and prepare for a major fundraising initiative. Thank you to everyone who participated. Your feedback and insights were extremely valuable in determining our next course of action. I am happy to share this summary report which highlights the key study findings and recommendations for proceeding. (Click to view Fr. Carter's full report from the Planning Study...)

We are recruiting adult parishioners to join the Sacristan Ministry to set up the sanctuary for Mass. Our Sacristans serve on rotation (about once a month). No previous experience is needed, and step-by-step training will be provided. Please contact Amy Long through the parish office or myParish app.

Call to service from Fr. Carter:  We are still looking for more technical volunteers to operate the live-stream, as well as ushers and cleaning volunteers for each weekend Mass. We have a particular need for people to commit to the 11:30 Extraordinary Form Mass.

Walking with Moms in Need is a USCCB-sponsored pro-life program launching in 2021 at the Basilica to provide one-on-one assistance to moms as well as dads in our community:  in assessing skills, setting goals, and preparing for an education or job placement. We need volunteers in the following areas:  Topic Developers, Speakers, Dinner Prep and Servers, Childcare, and Leader. Click for details.

Parents and other adults who serve in ministries that involve youth are now required to be certified under the “Safe Haven” program, which has replaced the previous VIRTUS Safe Environment program for the Diocese of Knoxville. All adult volunteers who are in contact with youth, including those who have already been VIRTUS-certified, must complete this new program prior to serving The registration and training is available to everyone online at your convenience (allow 2 hours). 

Thanks to all who have donated for Christmas flowers and poinsettias to adorn the altar this Christmas! Click to see a list of the honorary donations.