02/01/2026
THE STORY OF THOSE WHO BUILD A HOUSE FOR GOD
“…You yourself have revealed to your servant: ‘I will build you a house.’ And now, Lord God, you are God, your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore, please bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you.” (2 Sm 7:27–29)
How striking it is that these heartfelt words of prayer of King David, proclaimed in the liturgy on Thursday, January 29, were also the very sentiments of the Pastor and the People of God in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For on that very day, after a long time of waiting and praying, this small community officially obtained its own church building.
To celebrate this meaningful event, let us look back at several milestones in the life of the community to recognize the wondrous providence of God over His people, vividly shown in the story of people longing to build a house for God.
The Vietnamese Catholic Community in the city of Chattanooga, in eastern Tennessee, was established by the Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on July 15, 2019, beginning with only about 30 families and 160 members.
From the very first days, the desire to have a stable place of worship and a space to pass on the faith to the younger generation became the foremost concern of the Pastor and the community.
The journey began with celebrating Mass together at a local church, then moving to a borrowed high school in the city center. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the community had to move again to a temporary chapel set up on private property.
Yet hardship did not stop there. A tornado in April 2020 swept away that fragile temporary chapel. After rebuilding, only a few months later, in November of the same year, the community chapel was once again destroyed by fire.
In truly dire circumstances, the community had to rent a warehouse as a place of worship. For five long years, in the cramped space of a storage building, the faithful persevered in celebrating the sacraments, teaching catechism, and maintaining their life of faith.
The first major opportunity came in November 2021, when a Protestant church at a favorable location was put up for sale. The community determined to pursue it, submitted the proposal to the Diocese, and quickly launched a rapid fundraising campaign. Members inside and outside the community, together with many benefactors, generously contributed, and the amount raised even exceeded expectations.
However, due to procedural complications, that precious opportunity eventually slipped away. Even so, that fundraising effort revealed the remarkable generosity and burning desire of the Pastor and the community to have a church of their own.
From then on, the Pastor and the Pastoral Council never stopped searching. Whenever an opportunity appeared, they immediately reached out, pushed forward negotiations, and completed the necessary procedures in the hope of soon obtaining a house of God.
The diocesan leadership understood this need and longing, visited many times to encourage and reassure the community, and promised to create conditions for them to have a church as soon as possible.
For a long time, the question “When will we have a church?” kept being repeated with hope and yearning.
On June 27, 2023, Pope Francis accepted the retirement of Bishop R. Sticka of the Diocese of Knoxville, causing the church-purchase process to slow down.
On May 7, 2024, the Diocese of Knoxville received a new bishop, Bishop James Mark Beckman. Not long after his installation, he made an early pastoral visit to the community on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2024. After listening to the earnest petition of the Pastor and the faithful, the new Bishop promised to do everything possible to help the community obtain a church soon.
Because the need was so urgent, the community at different times proposed purchasing a medical center (March 2025) and later a Korean community church (July–October 2025), but these transactions one after another did not succeed.
Fortunately, at the end of October 2025, St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church at 4300 James Ln, Chattanooga, TN 37416 was put on the market.
After many tense rounds of negotiation, through the tireless efforts of the Pastor and the Pastoral Council, together with timely support from the Diocese, the contract to purchase the church was finally signed.
Looking back at the timeline, many recognized meaningful coincidences as gentle reminders of God’s will unfolding in His time:
• 9:00 PM on November 9, 2025, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Bishop signed the approval for the community to buy the church.
• November 18, 2025, the Diocese conducted a full inspection of the property, coinciding with the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul.
• January 28, 2026, the Pastor and Pastoral Council made the final inspection before the ultimate decision. The first reading of that day’s liturgy was precisely the story of King David wanting to build a house for God, but God saying: it is I who will build you a house (cf. 2 Sm 7:14–17).
• January 29, 2026, the Diocese officially completed the purchase of the church for Saint Faustina Community.
The joy of the community is beyond words; they can only borrow the very Word of God proclaimed that day to offer thanksgiving and praise.
Looking back on more than six and a half years, the community has gone through countless ups and downs and emotions. Yet just as God once said to David: it is I who build a house for you, not you for me.
From a small, scattered group, the number of faithful has now grown three or four times.
From simple shared rentals, many families now own comfortable homes. The businesses of community members continue to flourish: nail salons, restaurants, chicken farms, and more.
Notably, because the first church purchase procedures were so complicated, the community president resolved to study and become a professional realtor, and was later entrusted by the Diocese to handle church real-estate transactions.
There were benefactors willing to buy land or houses to donate for a church. Although the Diocese ultimately could not accept those offers in that form, the ventures generated profit and helped build a solid financial foundation for the community.
Even the tornado of April 2020, which at first seemed a disaster, later became an opportunity for many families and for the whole community to grow more prosperous and stronger. Just as the Lord says in the Book of Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you… plans for your welfare and not for harm” (Jer 29:11).
How great is our thanksgiving to God: what He once promised to His servant David seems now to be repeated for Saint Faustina Community today: “Is this the law for humanity, O Lord God?” (2 Sm 7:19).
Saint Faustina Community gratefully thanks the current Bishop James Mark Beckman and the former Bishop R. Sticka for their constant support that made this day possible.
Heartfelt thanks also go to benefactors near and far who quietly and generously joined hands to give the community the confidence and means to move forward.
Congratulations to our Pastor, and congratulations to the entire community.
“Now therefore, please bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you.” (2 Sm 7:29).
Anthony
