News - July 2023 RSS Feed

Deacon Renzo Alvarado Suarez, a newly ordained transitional deacon from Colombia, South America, just moved in at the Basilica yesterday and will begin serving at our Spanish Masses. We look forward to his serving both of our communities when he is ordained a priest. We will soon be introducing Dcn. Renzo to the community, and we thank God for sending him to our parish. Please pray for Dcn. Renzo and welcome him to our parish!

Our block of East 8th Street will be closed all day (DATE TBA) in front of the church, while a crane is on-site repairing loose mortar on the bell tower. During this time, you can access our parking lot from Lindsay St, by going the wrong way on 8th St., or park at All Saints Academy.

Fr. Christopher Floersch, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Knoxville and Parochial Vicar for St. John Neumann, suffered a stroke on Saturday, July 9. [UPDATE 8/6/22: Fr. Floersh returned home on July 17 and is making considerable progress towards recovery. Bishop Stika shared that he has progressed from using a walker to a cane. He and his medical team believe that he will be able to return to full ministry in a few months.] Please pray for his full recovery. Fr. Floersh previously served at Sts. Peter and Paul as a transitional deacon in 2016. Click to read more.

We've heard from several of our parishioners that they have received a text or an email from someone impersonating Fr. Carter, an attempt to lure them in and take their money. Please be careful not to respond if you receive a suspicious message like this. Please join in prayer for the conversion of heart of these scammers to re-direct their God-given abilities to do good.

You are invited to EWTN’s FREE Family Celebration event on Saturday, August 26th at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) in Birmingham, AL. Listen to inspirational speakers in both English and Spanish, meet EWTN TV and Radio hosts, and spend time with leading Catholic authors. Confession and Adoration are available throughout the day, as well as the celebration of the Holy Mass. Doors open at 8:00 am. Visit ewtn.com/familycelebration and click on the registration button to reserve your spot for this wonderful family event.

Rose Joanne Mendola Carparelli, mother of Cathy Oliver, Basilica Parish Secretary, passed on 7/12/23, at the age of 97. Please pray for the repose of her soul, and for the consolation of her family. Click to read her obituary.

We host parish dinners, receptions after funerals, Confirmation, concerts, and more. We need help planning, cook, serving, and cleaning. But we also just need donations of food and drink for each event. It is not expected for everyone to help every time. Contact Florence Porter [email protected] to join!

Robert Lee Martin, father of Basilica parishioner Robert C. Martin, passed away June 30, 2023 following a long illness. Services for Robert at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul will be Sat., July 8, 2023, with VISITATION at 10:30am and FUNERAL MASS at 11:30am. VISITATION also on Fri., July 7 4pm - 7pm at the Cleveland Chapel of Companion Funeral Home. Please pray for Robert's soul. May Robert Lee Martin, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. (Click to read his OBITUARY.)

Our Lorelei’s Library in the hallway is available for every parishioner to check out one book at a time for three weeks. We have just begun a summer inventory of the library and found already that 40 of the books for small children are missing, and many of them haven’t been properly checked out by leaving the card. Since these books will be expensive to replace, we are asking everyone to check around your house and in your car, in case you have any books with a Lorelei’s Library card pocket in the back cover. Please return these books to the basket at the library as soon as you can. And if you notice children’s books lying around the church, please help us by putting them into the basket. UPDATE 7/22/23: Thanks to all who have returned missing books. The inventory is complete, and we invite you to continue enjoying Lorelei's Library!