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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

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.

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.

Chant made easy! Many men never learned to sing after their voice changed. We have a new opportunity to rediscover your God-given voice and use it in His praise. Fr. Carter has begun teaching a Men’s Vespers Schola on Friday afternoons at 4:30pm, open to anyone whose voice has changed into the lower octave. Sung Vespers in English follows at 5pm. No musical experience is required; Father will show you everything you need. On most Fridays, we will meet in the church at 4:30. On First Fridays, we will meet in the Nursery at 4:30 for training, while First Friday Adoration is in the church. Then at 5pm we will move into to the church to sing Vespers. Click on the title above to see a video with the kind of chant we are singing. Our Vespers will be in English. We will start with very simple melodies and work our way up. However, newcomers are welcome any Friday. Contact music@stspeterandpaulbasilica.com with questions and to be added to the email list.

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.

In Fr. Carter’s pastor’s notes for 11/29/20 and 12/6/20, you’ll find instructions about the proper use of a personal hand corporal, as a reverent way to receive the Sacred Host without touching it with your hand. We have a limited number of these hand corporals available in the vestibule for a suggested donation of $1. Or you may also bring a similar cloth of your own.

On the Feast of Christ the King (November 22 for the Ordinary Form), we will recite the traditional Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at our Sunday Masses. It can be found in the leaflet at the entrance, and is also posted here. There is the opportunity for a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions, for those who recite the prayer publicly on the feast of Christ the King.

Our Annual Stewardship Appeal is in progress and we are aiming for 100% participation from all parishioners. (Click to review and submit the appeal on our Stewardship page at any time.) NOTE: We have increased expenses because of the additional third priest to minister to the growing Hispanic community. We are especially worried about the facilities of the parish, including our roof and HVAC, both of which are substantial capital investments. As of yet, only 109 of the 498 households in our parish have made a pledge for the coming year. That's just 22%. Please help us reach 100% participation!  Thank you for your generous support to our parish.

Beginning January 26th, Fr. Carter will offer altar server training for the Extraordinary Form, Tuesdays at 5:30pm, as well as serving at 7am weekday Masses. To prepare for the training, it is necessary to learn the Latin prayers and read the altar server manual. For more information, visit our Altar Servers page and contact admin@stspeterandpaulbasilica.com to sign up.

We are conducting a comprehensive survey of the parish. This planning study follows an extensive process that helped produce our strategic priorities. Before we make any final decisions regarding proposed plans for our Basilica and our parish, we would like to hear from you regarding our needs and the possibility of conducting a major fundraising effort. Your feedback will enable us to determine potential support for several projects. Your input is valuable as we plan for the future of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Our 130th Anniversary Parish Photo Directories have finally arrived! If you had your picture made for the directory, you may pick up the copy in the vestibule with your name on it or call the parish office to arrange to pick yours up. If you were not pictured but would like a copy, we have a limited quantity available for $8 in the parish office. Many thanks to Cathy Oliver for managing this project, Michael Stradley for his creative design work, and all the parishioners who helped to make this beautiful book a reality!

Calling all women with a servant's heart! The Altar Ministry (previously known as the "Altar Guild") has been hosting information sessions and is currently looking for new members. To find out more, see the information on our Altar Ministry page, and contact Tia Yunker, our new Altar Ministry Coordinator.

Pre-Order Advent Candles NOW! St Ambrose Homeschool Co-op is selling Advent candles at $6/set of 4 - 12” tapers. Deadline to pre-order is Nov. 6 for Nov. 23 – Dec 4 pick-up in the parish office during M-F, 9am-4pm office hours. Click for details

National Vocation Awareness Week will be celebrated in our country November 1-7, 2020. 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.

Help ensure all children have the opportunity to enjoy a Catholic school education by supporting our Catholic Schools Tuition Support Collection on Nov. 7-8 & 14-15.

The First Session of the Tribunal of the Diocese of Knoxville for the Inquiry that will examine the life, Christian virtues, heroic offering of life, reputation for holiness and signs of intercessory power of Fr. Patrick Ryan took place Sept. 28, 2020 at the Basilica. Bishop Stika was the celebrant, with Bishop Spalding of Nashville as the primary concelebrant, Cardinal Rigali and many other clergy in attendance. The session began with sung Mid-Morning Prayer (Office of the Dead), continued with the swearing in of officials for the tribunal; commentary on the Life of Fr. Patrick Ryan by Dcn. Gaspar DeGaetano, Diocesan Postulator; and presentation of documents for the archive. The events continued with a sung Mass for the Dead for a Priest, offered for Fr. Patrick Ryan. At the conclusion of that Mass, the officials of the new Ecclesiastical Tribunal of Knoxville were sworn in, and Fr. David Carter was re-installed as pastor of The Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul. The Gloria Dei Schola sang the service and the Mass as well as an interlude of sacred motets, and the Basilica's recently completed pipe organ was played in full.

Our priests are now offering confessions for 30 minutes before every Mass except the 7am: the Saturday 5:30 Mass; the Sunday 9:00, 11:30, and 1:30 Masses; as well as before the 12pm Mass Mon-Fri. We are using the confessionals in the church. Please stand in line 6 feet apart (into the vestibule if needed) while waiting. When leaving the confessional, please disinfect the screen, kneeler, and any surface touched, with a wipe provided. Since disinfectant wipes are hard to find, if you have any wipes you can donate to help us offer confessions, please leave them in the confessional. Also, a new Confession resource page is now available on our website. Click to see our new Confession resource page.

In union with the Cathedral, we will honor members of service professions on the following Sundays with prayer. Members of the profession are invited to wear your uniform to the 9:00 Mass, and Fr. Carter will give a blessing. Sept. 27 - Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters, and First Responders; Oct. 4 - Judiciary and Legal Profession; Oct. 18 - Health Profession; Nov. 8 - Armed Forces. Click for more info.