1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

Christ The King Church, Nashville, Tennessee
Volume 17, Issue 1, Spring 2015
St. Mary Magdalene
through the eyes
of Robin M. Jensen
by Patty Carroll Farmer
O
n Saturday morning, February 14th, approximately 40
women embarked on a journey through Christian writing and art to explore the life of St. Mary Magdalene,
one of the most mysterious women in the Bible. This year’s
annual Women’s Retreat, sponsored by the Women’s Council, featured Robin Jensen as the guide on a journey into the
life of this passionate and courageous woman.
Robin M. Jensen, a parishioner and professor of History of Christian Art and
Worship at Vanderbilt University, presented St. Mary Magdalene as an “important
figure of repentance, redemption and conversion.” She led the group through a
lecture interspersed with a slideshow of text and art depicting Mary Magdalene as
both saint and sinner.
Mary Magdalene is identified in the Gospels
many times during the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord. She watched as Jesus died on
the cross and as his body was laid in the tomb.
Although the Bible names Mary Magdalene as the woman from whom Jesus
cast out seven demons, she also is believed to be the sinful woman who appeared
uninvited to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, dry them with her hair, kiss them and
anoint them with expensive oils.
Mary Magdalene may have been cast in these roles because she was thought to
be a wealthy woman. The woman who anointed the feet of Jesus had to have the
means to afford costly oils. Luke writes that Mary Magdalene and other women
traveled with Jesus and his Apostles and provided financial support for them “from
their resources.”
It was Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great) who first aligned Mary Magdalene
with the woman who washes the feet of Jesus in the Gospels. He is also the one to
label her as a prostitute. With this characterization, she became a figure of great
Continued on p.2
JOHN GREEN
A Family’s Christmas Tree Tradition.....3
Miracles on Belmont Boulevard...........4
School News.........................................6
Pastoral Care Ministry..........................8
Improvements are Coming to Christ
The King’s Campus Grounds................8
News From Our Haiti Twin Parishes.....9
An Update of Elizabeth Ministry...........9
One Small Miracle Leads to
Many Others....................................... 10
Women’s Council “Roasts
and Toasts”........................................ 11
To Have And To Hold........................... 12
Continued from p.1
interest in the church and the focus of
myths and legends. As a prototype for
a “repentant sinner,” she is depicted
in art as a non-conforming, beautiful
woman with long flowing red hair,
never veiled, and expressively passionate. Often she is holding an alabaster
jar: her particular attribute in the history of art.
Mary Magdalene is identified in
the Gospels many times during the
Passion and Resurrection of our Lord.
She watched as Jesus died on the
cross and as his body was laid in the
tomb. In depicting the Crucifixion,
artists frequently show her collapsed
and weeping at the foot of the cross
flanked by Mary, the Mother of God,
and John.
In all four Gospels, Mary Magdalene
is listed as being the first to discover
the empty tomb of Jesus, either alone
or with other women. In the Gospel of
John, she is named as the first person
to whom Jesus appears after the Resurrection. She takes the news of His
resurrection back to the unbelieving
apostles. Early writings and artistic
renderings depict Mary Magdalene as
not only carrying the message of Jesus’
resurrection back to the Apostles but
as also assuming the role of teacher.
Thus Mary Magdalene was arguably
an “apostle” to the Apostles. W
Dr. Robin M. Jensen, one of the nation’s leading experts on Christian liturgy and art, has been at Vanderbilt University since 2003,
as Luce Chancellor’s Professor of the History of Christian Art and
Worship. In that role, she has been teaching courses in both the
Divinity School and the Department of the History of Art. In the Fall
of 2015 she will be moving to the University of Notre Dame, where
she will become the Patrick O’Brien Professor of Theology in the
Department of Theology. There she will be associated, also, with
the Department of Art, Art History, and Design. Her husband, J.
Patout Burns, is Edward A. Malloy Professor of Catholic Studies
Emeritus, at Vanderbilt. Patout has also contributed to this issue of
The Cloister, see p.4 and he will be moving along with her to South
Bend.
A Lenten Reflection
M
by Carolyn Goodard
y most Lenten experience actually took place in
November, a little over seven years ago. I was carried into the wilderness by a single engine plane
that veered way too close to slate-colored outcroppings of
the Rocky Mountains. I had to wonder if my family was
right - there was something crazy about going to Snowmass, Colorado for eight days of silence.
Yet I did arrive safely at the retreat house, nestled
halfway up a long valley where, at the very end, St. Benedict’s Monastery was effectively hidden in a stand of
pines. Bread was baking as I entered the warmth of the
retreat center so, unlike Jesus, I was not even tempted to
turn any of the stones around the center into bread. Yet,
like Jesus, I did have to face doubts and questions about
my life.
What I found within myself was an inability to trust
2
God; a sense that there were certain aspects of my life
that are so implacable, they could not be healed. This
deep-seated flaw in my character surfaced in the silence
and had to be faced.
I wish I could tell you that the hours given to prayer did
heal me; but there is one thing about spending time in silence— it makes it more difficult to lie. I still struggle with
some of the same doubts, am still tempted to look to my
ego rather than God for solutions. The good news is my
time in silence enabled me to recognize these tendencies and that takes some of their power away from them.
So this Lent, I will call to mind that experience of
being tossed about by strong winds and remember that
those very winds eventually carried me to a silent sanctuary where I was able, for a time, to trust in God’s presence and grace within me.
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
Q
How do we inspire our children
to live a life of faith?
Rather, children, in my judgment,
are more likely to desire a life of
faith if they see joyfulness in their
parents and grandparents, if they
see that a life in Christ brings
about a certain attractive centeredness.
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
I
know people who have a deep relationship with Christ, but
whose children will have nothing to do with the life of
faith. And I know others who have little or no relationship
with Christ and yet their children have sought out and embraced a life of faith. This observation, in itself, is enough to
make us aware that the journey to faith is a personal one and
that, ultimately, faith is a gift.
SUZANNE
LYNCH
The life of faith is passed from one generation to
the next.
But it is not passed simply by the preaching of a word. Rather,
children, in my judgment, are more likely to desire a life of
faith if they see joyfulness in their parents and grandparents,
if they see that a life in Christ brings about a certain attractive
centeredness. I remember many years ago I met a priest who
seemed so unhappy with the life he had chosen that it was oppressive to speak with him. The experience hardened me, for a
time, to any thoughts of priesthood. If that is what priesthood
does to a person, I thought to myself, who wants that life? We
pass on the truth about what we believe through our words
and our actions, but mostly through the spirit that our faith
brings out in us. Children feel contradictions in adults around
them. And they will reject, every time, a life which appears
contradictory.
The importance of the Sunday liturgical celebration in a
child’s faith development cannot be underestimated. So many
of our youth find our Eighth-day gathering boring. The community has a responsibility to provide liturgies that speak to
young people, through word, music, song, art and their active participation. We adults, too often, can only imagine the
liturgy­— or the world for that matter—being what we have
experienced. And it is that world, that Church, we want our
children to experience. It is our world view that we would
like them to adopt. This is fine to a point. We do pass on
what we have experienced about the faith, the things that has
nourished and consoled us. And we pass on our empirical
knowledge about the world. But we must be ready to allow
the young among us to find their own expressions, whether in
music, art, song, or even in the way they pray and participate
at the Sunday liturgy. We cannot be closed to their ideas, for
those ideas may be inspiration from God leading them to a life
of faith. W
3
The Life and Work of Blessed Pope Paul VI
By Patout Burns
O
n the Sundays of February, the
Adult Education ministry at
Christ the King presented a series
of talks and a film on the life and work
on Blessed Paul VI, who was beatified
at the conclusion of the first session of
the Synod of Bishops dealing with family questions.
Giovanni Battista
Montini was born in
1897 in the northern
part of Italy. His father, Giorgio Montini, had trained as a
lawyer but turned his
energies to editing a
newspaper, serving
in the Italian Parliament, and promoting Catholic Action
for social justice. His
mother, Giudetta Alghisi was a member
of the rural nobility; she was largely
responsible for the
education of her son,
who was often sick.
Montini’s
higher
education was in the
Pontifical academy
that trained priests
for work in the Vatican Secretariat of
State. This became
his work: he made
friends throughout
Europe and England during his vacation travels. He worked closely with
Pope Pius XII, who handled his own
diplomatic relations during World War
II and the rebuilding of Europe. Montini gained a reputation as a good listener and a conciliator who dedicated
to preventing misunderstandings and
divisions. He formed many friendships with European intellectuals and
churchmen, including Angelo Roncalli,
the future Pope John XXIII. As chaplain to university students, he came to
know many of the Catholic students
4
who would become the founders of the
Christian Democratic Party in Italy.
In 1954, Pope Pius XII removed
Montini from the Vatican Secretariat of
State and made him Archbishop of Milan. Upon his election, Pope John XXIII
chose Montini as the first bishop whom
named a cardinal, thereby indicating
that he intended to collaborate closely
with him. As a result, Cardinal Montini was fully involved in the preparatory
work for the Second Vatican Council.
With the blessing of Pope John, he and
four other bishops began to develop a
plan for organizing the Council’s work;
they continued to collaborate during its
first session. His particular interest was
the nature of the church and the collegiality of the bishops under the leadership
of the Pope.
In the final days, on December 5,
1962, Cardinal Montini delivered a
speech on the Christ-centered nature of
the Church in which he addressed the
question of the college of bishops and
the sacramental (as distinguished from
jurisdictional) foundation of the episcopal ministry. He alsoo argued that
in considering the church, the Council
must always consider its responsibility
to promote the unity of Christians. Similar addresses by Cardinal Leon-Joseph
Suenens of Mailines-Brussels, on the
Church’s engagement with the modern
world, and Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro of Bologna, on the Church and the
poor, were part of an attempt to set a
liberal agenda for the next session of the
Council. The opposition between the
conservatives in the Vatican Curia and
the bishops serving in dioceses throughout the world was evident by this time.
The three speeches were attempts to set
the agenda for the second session.
Pope John died on June 3, 1963. On
June 21, Montini was elected on the
sixth ballot, with just two votes more
than the minimum necessary. In the
election and afterward, he faced the
opposition of the cardinals serving in
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
the Curia who considered him a protégé of John XXIII and a liberal who
was committed to the reform work of
the council—which they now openly
opposed. He took the name Paul VI
and immediately became responsible
for guiding the Council and bringing
its diverging factions to fruitful compromise and agreement.
The second session of the Council in 1963 approved only two documents, one of them on the reform of
the liturgy. The result was meagre
but a new direction had been set. In
the interim between the second and
third sessions, Paul meet the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople at
the church of the Holy Sepulchre in
Jerusalem. He also set up a secretariat
within the curia to deal with nonChristian religions. Still, he resisted
pressure from the American and European bishops to force a vote on the
decree on religious liberty, which was
opposed by the curial bishops. In the
third session, the conflict was over
the collegiality of the bishops and the
privileges of the pope. Paul supported
collegiality but protected the privileges of his office. In the interim, before
the fourth session, Paul went to India,
showing the church’s interest in nonchristian religions.
In the fourth session, the document on religious liberty was finally
approved just in time for Paul to visit
and address the United Nations. The
Council approved most of its decrees
and declarations in the last weeks of
that final session. Collegiality of bishops was affirmed and implemented,
in part, through the setting up on the
Synod of Bishops and the regional
episcopal conference. All of this very
important to Paul, who had opened
the final session by entering St. Peter’s
basilica on foot and dressed as the
other bishops, rather than being carried in and wearing the papal crown.
Although some bishops had atVolume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
tempted to decide the debate on contraception in the document on the Church
in the Modern World, John XXIII had
suam, on the nature of the church,
and Populorum progressio, using social science research to foster the so-
He took the name Paul VI and immediately
became responsible for guiding the Council
and bringing its diverging factions to fruitful
compromise and agreement.
assigned it to a commission whose
membership include experts from the
laity. When that commission recommended a change in Catholic teaching
to allow “artificial” means of regulating birth, a “minority report” was
constructed and presented to Paul by
curial bishops. After much study and
hesitation, Paul confirmed prior papal
teaching in the encyclical Humanae vitae, which provoked dissent and opposition among his fellow bishops.
In the first five years of his pontificate, Paul published seven encyclical letters, the most important
of which were his first, Ecclesiam
cial teaching of the church. The last
two, on priestly celibacy and regulating conception, dealt with issues that
had been excluded from the agenda of
the Council. During the last decade of
his pontificate, he did not publish any
further encyclicals.
Paul died on August 6, 1978 and
was buried in the crypt of St. Peter’s
basilica. W
For more about Adult Faith Formation at Christ the King, please contact
Joceline Lemaire at joceline.lemaire@
ctk.org or call the church office at
292-2884.
5
By Kathy Reese
A
6
Parent Appreciation Day during Catholic Schools Week
PHOTOS BY JEANETTE VOGT
fter going through an unexpected
and fun (at least for the students)
week away from school, everyone
has been at work again for a couple of
weeks. As always, there are exciting
happenings to report on around CKS.
Recently, five middle school students, under the guidance of Mrs.
Gerrilu Linton, qualified for Regional
Finals of the National History Bee.
Eighth graders Owen Chamness, Sebastian Jones, T J Nicholson, Zachery
Sutton, and sixth grader Benjamin Sutton were selected to represent CKS following class level competitions. These
students will participate in the regional
finals at Overbrook School on March
26. The national finals will be held in
Louisville, Kentucky, on May 22-24.
Mrs. Linton is excited about this opportunity for these students who have
worked hard, and she is hopeful that
they “get to travel to Kentucky.”
A new after-school program has
been offered to students in grades 2-8
by Afterschool Enrichment Solutions,
a company that recently expanded into
the Nashville area. They offered several options for the winter session, and
Mrs. Woodman elected to begin with
Let’s Build It! Engineering. Since so
many students signed up for this activity, they were divided into two classes,
which allowed the older students to
have a more in-depth experience. This
class was devoted to constructing and
experimenting with paper helicopters.
The spring sessions begin in March
and will offer several new activities.
Another exciting event in March
is Father Dexter’s participation in the
Rome Marathon on March 22. Father’s
Kindergarten Class Auction Item for Crown Affair
run will benefit CKS, so the school has
dubbed this the Dexter Dash. A pep
rally/send-off with the students and Father Dexter will be held on March 13.
Students and parishioners will have the
opportunity to purchase Dexter Dash
tee shirts. All money from the tee shirt
sales and pledges will go to CKS to
defray operating expenses. On March
30, the students will celebrate Father’s
return by taking part in a victory lap
around the school.
Building on the success of the fall
production of Romeo and Juliet, the
drama club, under the direction of
Mrs. Lina Wellborn, is excited to presVolume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
ent Hamlet this spring. Students ranging from fourth grade through eighth
grade are working hard and having fun
while learning their lines and staging
for the play. Costuming and settings
will be minimal so that the focus will
be on the characters and students. Belmont University’s Drama Department
has been very supportive in this endeavor by sharing their expertise with
our students and helping them with
sword play. Belmont has also donated
two set of stairs that will be used for
soliloquies and interaction with the
audience. Hamlet will be presented on
April 17 at 7:00 P.M.
In the sports arena, basketball season has drawn to a close. The third and
fourth grade girls’ and boys’ teams had
a great year. As Coach Donnelly said,
“HPHHF” (Hustle, Play Hard, Have
Fun), and that is what these teams did
as they improved their skills. Under
Coach Catignani’s direction, the fifth
and sixth grade girls’ team was undefeated, and the boys’ team also had a
successful season. The seventh and
eighth grade girls’ team won the season
championship while the boys’ varsity
and junior varsity teams finished second in season play. In the post season
tournament, all three teams made it to
the championship games on Saturday,
February 28. The varsity girls played
a hard game against St. Rose but lost
in overtime. The varsity boys played
an undefeated St. Pius team and lost
while the junior varsity boys played in
the consolation game and lost in overtime. Despite losses in the tournament,
these teams had remarkable seasons.
Noting that 100 students took part in
basketball this year, Coach Vance is
very grateful to all the coaches whose
dedication and hard work made this
such a successful season.
The school’s major fund raising
event took place on Saturday, February 28. The theme for this year’s A
Crown Affair was Boogie Nights: A
Disco Revival. Included in this enjoyable and entertaining night was dinner,
dancing, silent action and live auction.
There were many wonderful items in
both auctions including a trip to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. All in
all, it was indeed a night to boogie. W
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
Dear Friends,
Running is a fascinating phenomenon because everyone runs for a different reason. In 420 B.C., Pheidippides, the first marathon runner of
record, ran to report the Greek victory over the Persians. He ran from
Marathon to Athens, a course which I ran in November of 2013. Upon
arrival uttered the word, “Nike!”- which in Greek means victory. Among
the reasons I like running is that at the end of a long race, my senses seem
to be sharpened. In addition, food tastes better, the sounds of laughing
children rings louder, and my eyes see more clearly— the world around
me is more peaceful, more colorful, and more vibrant. All in all, everything seems better.
St. Paul tells the Colossians, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do
it all in the name of the Lord, giving thanks to God the Father through
him.” I’ve decided to listen to this. On March 22nd, I will be running
in the Rome, Italy Marathon, and would like to do it in honor of Christ
The King School. I feel a deep fatherly responsibility to do all I can do to
strengthen the CKS tradition and bring our children closer to Christ.
Our school has been in continuous operation since 1937 and is the largest ministry of our parish. As you can imagine, it is also the most costly
ministry to operate. In fact, as a school, we need to raise an average of
$1,800 per student, in addition to tuition, each year. This year, there are
262 students enrolled at CKS. You can see how quickly that adds up and
why I feel compelled to help.
Thank you in advance for joining me as we do this Godly deed and support the children of Christ The King School. The fullness of spiritual life
can be reached only when we understand all that God has prepared for
those who exhibit love. It is then and only then, that we may exclaim,
“Nike!” (Victory!).
Fr. Dexter
For more information on how to contribute to the “Dexter Dash” or CKS
please contact Kate Evertsen, Development Director, at kate.evertsen@
cks-nashville.org or (615) 777-8975
7
We are called to be Christ to others and see Christ in those we serve
Relationship Recovery Program
By Margaret Emsweller
T
he Relationship Recovery Program,
a
non-denominational
Christ centered Program is designed to help individuals with their
anguish and sorrow of a divorce, the
death of a spouse, a separation and/or a
relationship break-up. This Program is
neither a counseling service nor a dating
service; it is however, a safe and confidential place providing an educational
and supportive atmosphere and consists
of three phases:
Support, Phase 1 – approximately
six (6-8) weeks.
Purpose: A time to be heard—a time
to listen to one another and encourage
each other on their new journey of emotional and spiritual growth.
Rebuilding, Phase 2 – approximately ten (10) weeks – participants
will move from Phase 1, Support to
this second Phase.
Purpose: To assist the process of adjustment to the loss of the relationship.
The sessions provide an overview to the
Rebuilding Blocks 19 in all which form
that process. These sessions will cover
10 of those blocks which have been
proven to be the most difficult.
Boundaries, Phase 3 – approximately eight (8) weeks commencing
two weeks at the close of Rebuilding—
participants will move from Phase 2,
Rebuilding to this third and final Phase
of the Program.
Purpose: In this phase participants
will be able to clearly define their
boundaries. A boundary is how far we
can go with comfort in a relationship;
boundaries provide the protection we
need in order to negotiate the difficult
and painful junctures we encounter in
our daily lives.
The first Relationship Recovery to
be held at Christ the King commenced
in October 2014, and is still in progress.
Participants will complete Phase 2 the end
of February then move on to Phase 3.
Some comments from the participants have been: “I wish I would’ve
gone through something like this five
years ago,” I’ve gotten more out of
these sessions than I have in five years
of therapy.”
Another series of Relationship Recovery sessions will be offered in October 2015.
The Pastoral Care Committee
welJEANETTE VOGT
comes the opportunity to serve those in
our community who would benefit from
support and or visits during times of illness or loss. Contact the Church office
or Margaret Emsweller @ [email protected] for more information
or if you would like the opportunity to
serve in Pastoral Care at CTK. W
LAISSEZ LE BON TEMPS ROULER
By Tom Holland
T
(Let the Good Times Roll)
he Season of Mardi Gras, or
Carnival, begins on the Feast
of the Epiphany or Kings Day
(12th Day of Christmas). This is the
first official day of Mardi Gras and it
stretches all the way till the Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday. This is a great
time of the year to celebrate the birth
of Christ and to celebrate life and all
of the wonderful blessings God has
bestowed on us.
Many historians believe that the
first American Mardi Gras took place
on March 3, 1699 when the French explorers Iberville and Bienville landed
in what is now Louisiana, just south of
New Orleans. They held a small celebration and dubbed the spot Point du
Mardi Gras.
8
In 1827 a group of students donned
colorful costumes and danced through
the streets of New Orleans, emulating
the revelry they’d observed while visiting Paris. In 1857 a secret society of
New Orleans businessmen called the
Mistick Krewe of Comus organized a
torch-lit Mardi Gras procession with
marching bands and rolling floats, setting the tone for future public celebrations in the city.
Christ The King Church continued
to bring this great celebration of life to
our Parish Hall on Saturday February
14th. Following the 4:30 Mass a record crowd processed out of mass with
the sounds of New Orleans Jazz into
Middle Tennessee’s version of Carnival. We “Second Lined” (a spontane-
ous dance with handkerchiefs or parasols), threw beads and enjoyed some
outstanding food!
The Christ The King Community
Spirit was on full display that evening.
Despite what you might see on TV,
Mardi Gras is a family celebration and
it has no age limits and that was evident on Belmont Blvd.
There is a saying, “You can take
the boy out of Louisiana, but you can’t
take Louisiana out of the boy” and that
seems to hold true with our Louisiana
transplants: Stephen and Bruce Broussard, Phillip Clarke, and Tom Holland.
All of these guys, along with Sharron
and Flynn Doyle and The Knights of
Columbus, brought some of the best
‘Louisiana food’ North of I-10. W
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
We are called to be Christ to others and see Christ in those we serve
By Kathy Skinner
Young Hearts Warm the Soul
E
ach year I have the pleasure of serving Room in the Inn with our Confirmation candidates and enjoy every minute of it. What I did not expect
to encounter this season was the younger heart, that of the second graders. As I
was beginning to serve one Wednesday
evening, Audrey Rose was at the parish hall for another reason and wanted
to make some beds. She and I began to
work together. Watching her get excited
to finish one and rush to the next was
priceless. She loved what she was doing.
Even when it was hard to get the fitted
sheet over the corners, we just worked
together and talked and laughed. We
had the best time! Of course, I pointed
out to her that what we were doing was
exactly what the school Mass reading
was about the day before, sharing God’s
love with others. I asked her if she realized that she was doing that. Audrey
Rose was quick to answer and nod in
reply. If you have ever been around on
Wednesday evenings and seen her in action, you know that she likes to serve
and do good for others.
Then I saw Colleen. Colleen, also a
second grader, had been busy making
cards for the guests. Colleen showed me
her drawing and I was so moved that I
had to be careful not to show my emotions. The drawing of the frame of a
house included this prayer which Colleen
wrote herself: “Even though you don’t
have a home, God will be the roof over
your head and give you shelter.” Colleen
walked around the room and searched
for the perfect pillow under which to
hide her prayer. Her gift was special.
The next week I arrived with the Confirmation candidates and we began busily prepareing beds. There was Colleen
again. She was busy preparing another
special note for a guest. This one was on
stationary and she had drawn a flower
on the second page. What was written on
the first page was a beautiful blessing she
had created. Again, Colleen wandered
around the west wing, hoping to find the
perfect place for leaving her cards for a
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
guest. The love poured into
her small gifts was enormous. You could see it in
her smile. That night, when
she finished with her card,
she stood at the door anxiously awaiting the guests’
arrival. She wanted to greet
them and be a part of all of
the ministry.
The next young heart
that I encountered was
second grader Ava. Ava
was staying in aftercare
one Wednesday and then
her mother was joining
her to serve at Room in
the Inn. When I arrived,
Ava and I started to make
the beds together. Ava is
newer to Christ the King
and so we began to visit
about what it is like to be
in a new situation. She was
commenting about how
we had to wear nametags
that evening. I explained
how hard it must be for our guests to
come into a new place at night when
they are tired and hungry and not know
any of the faces and names and only
have a few hours to get to know them.
I related it to when she was new to
Christ the King School and she was trying to learn all of her new classmates’
names. That resonated with her and she
became more concerned about making them feel at home that evening. We
continued working hard, getting things
ready. When we were done, Ava moved
on to making cards and other tasks and
I did, too. Every time I looked over at
her, though, I could see her working.
She was serving like none I had seen
before. And she was definitely making
new friends with the guests. Her mother
shared with me later that she even asked
if it was okay if she gave her new friend
a hug. The exchange that was shared
that evening was so meaningful for Ava
and her mother that they have returned
to serve again.
This past Wednesday evening the
first of our two PREP First Communion classes served at Room in the Inn.
About ten of the families were able
to be there and it was a busy place. A
young boy who was not sure he even
wanted to go when the night first began
ended up having a moving experience.
His mother shared with me afterwards
that when it was time to go home that
he started crying because he did not
want to leave his new friend. He hugged
the guest and now wants to serve again.
The relationships formed and the energy created by the hospitality and the
conversations are what make Christ the
King’s Room in the Inn ministry special. The young hearts know that this is
real. God’s presence is among us in all
of the people gathered in that space on
Wednesday evenings and our youngest
members do all they can to make everyone feel special. It is so natural and it
warms the soul. W
9
We are called to be Christ to others and see Christ in those we serve
Meet our Cantor, Jennifer Shinall
By Suzanne Lynch
A
couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Jennifer Shinall who is our
11:00 am Cantor. As we don’t often have the opportunity to
get to know the people who help out at Mass, I wanted to find
out more about her.
Jennifer is NOT a professional singer. Of course I assumed she
would be after hearing her beautiful voice on Sundays and because
we are in Nashville. Her day job is actually far removed from music—with the exception of the classical she may play during her office hours. Jennifer is actually an Assistant Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University.
“Music has always been an integral part of my life, but academics have been more important. I always wanted to pursue academics
as a career. It was a more secure option and offered a more secure
lifestyle,” she said.
Jennifer received her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University in Law and
Economics. She received her A.B. from Harvard University. Her research interests are employment law, labor economics and legal and
economic history. Her research examines the effect of obesity on the
labor market and how the legal system can address these effects.
Her recent study garnered quite a bit of media coverage including an article published in the Huffington Post last October. Jennifer’s research found that overweight and obese women make less
money that average woman and all men and are more often placed
in jobs that are physically demanding. Jennifer was quoted in the
Huffington Post interview about her findings, “It absolutely suggest
that weight is much more of a consideration in the labor market for
women than it is for men.”
Jennifer moved to Nashville to teach after college and joined Christ the King in 2008,
just about the same time Father Dexter came. Shortly after she was asked to Cantor and
accepted. No stranger to the position, Jennifer was a long-time cantor in her home church
in Memphis. Her mother was also a cantor and her piano teacher so it was something she
began doing at quite a young age.
When asked what her favorite part of the Mass was, Jennifer mentioned the Liturgy of
the Word. “Because it is different every week, it keeps the Mass special and compelling.”
Jennifer says she enjoys being a Cantor because it gives her a way to participate in the Church
and gives her a needed musical outlet. “The Lord is Kind and Merciful” is Jennifer’s favorite
to sing
I had to ask if she thought that the 11:00 am crowd are good singers. She graciously said
we are. “It’s very refreshing to have a 1000 people singing with you,” Jennifer said. “We are
also very fortunate that our church has great acoustics—it sounds good up there.”
Of course then I had to ask if she thought our priests could sing. She said how rare it is to
have a church with not one, but two priests who could sing so well.
Being our Cantor is not a job—Jennifer does not get paid for her time. She has spent most
Sundays for the past six years coming early to rehearse and then leading us in response and
praise. Jennifer has certainly shared her gifts with us and I think we can all agree that we
are very lucky to have her. W
Know someone whose service should be highlighted in Cloister? Send an email to
[email protected].
10
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
We are called to be Christ to others and see Christ in those we serve
Book Club Launched­.
Exploration Begins.
By Carolyn Block Billings and Linda Sherman
L
aunched less than a year ago, the
CTK Book Club has rapidly grown
into a circle of friends sharing not
only responses to our readings, but also
insights into our lives and culture. A
healthy mix of some with deep roots in
the parish and others new to Nashville
and/or to CTK, members claimed varied
motives for joining; a way to strengthen
attachment; joy at finding, at last, an
open, welcoming group; a desire to recreate here good experiences left behind.
Reaching immediate consensus that
wine, paired, of course, with food, would
enhance our literary evenings, we got organized last May. Membership remains
open to anyone interested in joining us
on second Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., in the
Cursillo Room. The CTK bulletin notes
the book up for discussion.
We kicked off in June with Life
after Life, a little gem of Southern
literature by Jill McCorkle. With wit
and empathy, she takes apart belittling
stereotypes of seniors in a retirement
center, creating strongly individuated
characters living out how aging matters to each. We see friendship, widely
embracing and loving memory, but also
bitterness, rivalries, scratchy sensitivity, buried secrets and (to the amazement of the young) romance.
McCorkle also depicts citizens of
the small town which provides staff
and volunteers for the center. They,
too, have baggage and burdens. Some
have made regrettable choices with
painful or even tragic consequences.
Whatever their official category, care
giver or care receiver, McCorkle’s characters’ shared need for connection, for
community, and evoked a wealth of
interpretation, memory, and reflection
from our readers. We were launched!
The September selection of Jeanette
Haien’s The All of It created, with simple
dialogue, an insightful, complex examiVolume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015
nation of the role of priest and parishioner. Intrigued by Ann Patchett’s recent
rediscovery of the short, 145 page book,
Father Dexter and Director of Adult Formation, Joceline Lemaire, read and suggested it to CTK Book Club, with the appealing idea of a subsequent discussion
with guest, Father Dexter.
Ms. Haien begins her story of Enda
and Kevin as he is overtaken by death;
his confession to Fr. Declan revealing
the shocking fact that in all their years
together, he and Enda have never been
married. From this moment, Fr. Declan
is committed to learning the rest of the
confession from Enda, ostensibly for
Membership remains open
to anyone interested in
joining us on second Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., in the
Cursillo Room. The CTK
bulletin notes the book up
for discussion.
her own soul’s sake, while Enda, herself, narrates her story, refusing to define it as confessional.
The All of It is framed by Fr. Declan’s fly fishing. Success evades his
first attempt, as his mind floats to
Kevin’s inconclusive confession. His
last cast snags the season’s best salmon, and draws forth deep feelings he
has long kept submerged. Ms. Haien
exquisitely conveys Enda’s straightforward, impassioned story and the
subtle transformation of parishioner to
‘priest.’ Haien leaves the door of ambiguity ajar, engendering a lively and
privileged discussion among CTK Book
Club parishioners and their priest, Father Dexter. Launch accomplished. Exploration begins. W
News From
Our Haiti Twin
Parishes
By Dave Kuhlman
P
ere Dorcin at Our Lady of
Seven Sorrows in Pilette is enjoying the new rectory. He is
able to spend much more time with
his parishioners now that he does
not have to make a dangerous, one
hour plus trip to Cap Haitien each
day (and return!). Pere Flo at Our
Lady of Grace in Roche-Plate has
just finished celebrating the anniversary of his parish. Both have
received about $5,000 US from
Christ the King in early January.
Both have sent messages of thanks
for the great generosity of our parishioners.
The school children at Christ the
King conducted another “Change
for Haiti” collection during Lent.
At this time, we don’t know how
much money was collected; but all
will be sent to our Twin Parish in
Pilette to help with the operation of
their elementary school (Our Lady
of Grace in Roche-Plate does not
have a school). Many thanks to our
school children (and their parents!)
--- and to the teachers, too.
The Christ the King web page
information on our Haiti Support
Group has been recently updated
thanks to the efforts of Kevin Endres. Please visit the site to check
out our activities. W
11
December 2014 - February 2015
WEDDINGS
Jeremy Anthony Oliver and
Ann Larson Ripley
Matthew Thomas Earnest
and Morgan Layne Wallace
Andrew Haywood McDaniel
and Leslie Dauqui
John Phillip Sullivan Tuck and
Elizabeth Carol Phillips
Thomas Lee Wise and Alison
Jane Rose
Jeffrey Thomas Cochran and
Lauren Marie Golen
Kevin Michael Hollander and
Clare Marie Riemann
Francisco Miguel Lucio III
and Schuyler Ann Moore
Michael Joseph Lemming
and Megan Elizabeth Ernest
BAPTISMS
Sarah Emery Absi
Charlotte Kathleen Caldwell
Margaret Evelyn Darst
India Jane Davis
Ryan Michael Dunn
William Vinson Edenfield
Josephine Altieri Fonda
Andrew Jaggar Franklin
Steven Thomas Godfrey
Mila Grace Hall
Miles Edward Hoffman
Maxwell Joseph Jarreau
Elizabeth Flynn Kirkham
Andrew Chase Lux
Dorothy Day McGee
Frances June Melancon
Margaret Sutherland Morel
Oliver Ely Moss
Alexander Troy Murphree
Andrew Kenneth Murphree
Beatrix Alma Murphy
Timothy Quinn O’Brien
Stella Dot Passons
Harrison James Pray
Harrison Noel Reichle
Beau Alexander Scalise
Stephanie Aurelia
Scaramuzza
Greyson David Scherz
Vivian Jeanne Schiefer
Beren Angel Sessions
Josephine Walker Siegelman
Paisley Ryan Smith
Oliver Hudson Smith
Wilson Gerald Songy
Henry Joseph Stavas
Solomon Clay Valiquette
Liam Austin Weaver
12
Wells Patrick West
Olivia Josephine White
NEW
PARISHIONERS
Miguel Arias and Kellianne
Thompson
Tom and Patsy Aune
Aimee Ayres
Nate and Shannon Banks
Regina Basconi
Susie Beard
Jerome Boettcher and Tracy
Synalon
Susan Bolger
Brad Borchers and Andrea
Erikson
Carl and Joan Bradley
Chris Browning
Jamie Burke
Lucy Cabrera
Gef Cherwak
Lauren Chiozza
Seth Cooper and Natalia
Prada-Rey
Joe and Laura Cox
John de Bettencourt
Jake and Jessica DeWeerth
Jessica Draper
Chanelle Fagan
Mark Fahey and Andrea
Franden
Heraldo Falconi and Sarah
Delassus
Christopher Fish and Ariel
Orifici
Mindy Fitterling
Jay and Katie Franklin
Bob and Kristen Gallagher
Brian and Megan Gesell
Lauryn Glasser
Mandy Gonzales
Jay and Kari Gray
Chris and Meggan Grear
Anderson and Liz Green
Christopher and Michele
Gunn
Elias and Tracy Haddad
Rev. John Hammond
Richard and Sarah Hanley
Jennifer Hehl
Jimmy Hiller
Jack and Mary Inman
Brent and Lynda Jarreau
Andrew and Trinita Jennings
Evan and Laura Johnson
Jake and Anne Johnson
Michael and Erin Karb
Jo Kay
Megan Klebba
John and Ann Krimm
Emily Longbrake
John Lutz
Kelly MacDonald
Kent and Marie Marcus
Luke and Tara Marklin
Marianne Marty
Paul and Patricia Matsen
Maura McGroarty
Joe and Helen McLaughlin
Zach and Tracey McLaughlin
Dan and Mary Kate O’Brien
Ann O’Day
Brian and Jillian Passons
Jim and Ebbie Redwine
Erin Reid
Sarah Robinson
Angelle Rosata
Bobby and Elizabeth Rouse
Danny and Molly Ruberg
Adam and Jackie Scalise
James Schafer
Justin and Courtney Scott
Francis Sheehan
Paul and Sallie Simpson
Kevin and Audrey Soskin
Derrick Spaulding and Kortni
Green
Patrick and Lisa Spear
Jon and Natasha Stotts
Frederick and Monica
Strobel
Lindsey Sullivan
Brittany Tielbur
Frank Todd and Aimee Ayres
Terry and Joanne Todd
Jen Tooher
Ron Weigeshoff
Jared and Nicole West
Jason and Anna White
Dan and Lani Williams
Josh and Ginger Wimberley
Josh and Sarah Yecke
Tracy Zander
Margaret Zukley
Volume 16, Issue 3, Fall 2014
Published at Christ The King Catholic Church
3001 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212
Parish Office 615.292.2884, ext. 300
Pastor
Father Dexter Brewer
Editor &
Art Director
Suzanne Lynch
Contributors
Jim Bryan
Beth Chapman
Jan Dunn
Valerie Cooper
Margaret Emsweller
Patty Carroll Farmer
Dave Kuhlman
Cindy Lybarger
Janet Morgan
Kathy Reece
Deacon Bob True
Jeanette Neuhoff Vogt
The Cloister is a community publication and we
welcome any news or stories that Christ the King
parishioners would like to contribute.
Writers for assignments are also always
needed. Please contact Suzanne Lynch with your
news, photos or interest in being a contributor at
[email protected].
Volume 17, Issue 1 l Spring 2015