St Dominic Church

09/06/2026

In today's Gospel, Jesus assures us that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Whenever we faithfully gather—as a parish community, as a family, as a group of friends—Christ is with us.
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May we be mindful of His presence in one another and work toward building communities rooted in His love.

09/05/2026

The Church goes with us. ❤️

Our parish life extends beyond the walls of St. Dominic.

Recently, Mass was celebrated with residents at Asbury Place in Kingsport, bringing together a small community to hear the Word of God, pray, and most especially, receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

There is something beautiful about seeing the familiar rhythm of the Mass in a different setting: the altar prepared, candles lit, Scripture proclaimed, and Christ made present.

For parishioners who may not always be able to come to St. Dominic, St. Dominic comes to them.

We are grateful for Fr. Anselm and Fr. Joseph, our deacons, and parishioners who help make this ministry possible and for the opportunity to remain connected in faith, prayer, and the Eucharist. 🙏

09/05/2026

It's World Beard Day! And what better way to celebrate than taking a look at what Sacred Scripture has to say about facial hair?
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In the Bible, beards are a sign of dignity and maturity. In fact, Jewish priests were instructed to let their facial hair grow.
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"They shall not shave their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor lacerate their bodies." -- Leviticus 21:5
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And the Psalms reference beards in connection with the priesthood and blessing.
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"Like precious ointment on the head, running down upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, upon the collar of his robes." -- Psalm 133:2
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Shaving one's beard could be an expression of shame or lamentation. After the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon, Jeremiah noted the following:
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"Everyone has shaved his beard, torn his garments, and gashed himself..." -- Jeremiah 41:5
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The Bible doesn't explicitly say that Jesus had a beard, but it was the norm among Jewish men in the 1st century. Nonetheless, the New Testament shifts the focus away from external appearance to what's on the inside.
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"Your adornment should not be an external one...but rather the hidden character of the heart." -- 1 Peter 3:3-4
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So should Catholic men have beards today? It's increasingly more common. But while it can be a symbol of wisdom and maturity, one's character and virtue are truly what count.
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Now that you're an expert on the Bible and beards, make sure to let Fr. Joseph and Fr. Anselm know what you've learned!

09/05/2026

Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa), a humble servant of the poorest of the poor. May her example inspire us to love radically, serve humbly, and see Christ in everyone we meet.
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Our parish in Maynardville is named in her honor. You can also find a statue of her in the narthex of the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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St. Teresa, pray for us!

09/04/2026

September 15 - October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. And the Catholic Church in the United States has a lot to celebrate when it comes to our Hispanic community! About 36% of Catholics in the U.S. are Hispanic, a number that rises to a whopping 60% when we consider Catholics under the age of 18!
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Here at St. Dominic, we are grateful for the contributions and presence of all of our parishioners with roots in the Spanish-speaking world, and we encourage you to start making plans to celebrate today!

09/04/2026

You might not know we have a ministry for this! 😊

Meet some of the volunteers who help keep St. Dominic ready to welcome us each week, one vacuum pass at a time!

Teams of three volunteer to vacuum the church for about 2–3 hours, just once every 6–8 weeks. Their service not only cares for our church, it frees our full-time custodian to focus on the many other spaces across our parish campus.

Sometimes serving the Church really does look like showing up with a vacuum cleaner. ❤️ And we are so grateful for the men and women who do!

Want to join a team? Hours are flexible and evenings are an option.

📞 Contact Mary Lukach at 423-967-3854 or the parish office at 423-288-8101.

09/03/2026

Did you know?

Before the first note of the opening hymn, our sacristans have already been quietly preparing for something extraordinary: the celebration of the Mass.

Sacristans like Dennis and Mary Jo Hood prepare the altar, light the candles, ready the chalice, linens, bread and wine, and make sure our readers, servers, gift bearers, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are ready to serve.

After Mass, they remain behind to care for the sacred vessels, extinguish the candles, and put everything in order once again.

It is a beautiful, mostly unseen ministry of reverence, care, and service to the Eucharist. We are deeply grateful for the sacristans who help prepare a place for our parish to encounter Christ at every Mass. 🙏

Could you see yourself serving in this special way? Call the parish office, 423-288-8101, to learn more about becoming a sacristan.

09/03/2026

Dan Roman, a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in South Pittsburg, completed a charity bicycle ride of 5,000-plus miles from coast to coast this spring and summer, putting up with considerable weather and bike issues along the way, but all to honor his late father and support research into and raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, which his dad suffered from.
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https://etcatholic.org/2026/08/everyone-said-i-was-crazy-to-do-this/

09/03/2026

Hey St. Dominic, ever wonder how "Gregorian Chant," the unaccompanied, monophonic singing of sacred songs in Latin, got its name? Well, the style was formalized and promoted by St. Gregory the Great, a 7th-century pope whose feast day we celebrate today.
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Gregorian Chant isn't outdated--in fact, Pope Leo XIV is promoting its usage throughout the Church. Read the accompanying article to learn more about this style of sacred music and how you can "sing with the Pope." Learn more here: https://www.ncregister.com/features/lets-sing-with-the-pope-gregorian-chant

09/03/2026

As the United States of America celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, Deacon Bob Hunt looks at some of the Catholics who contributed to the founding and history of our nation.
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They have served in battle, founded communities of priests and Sisters, and much more By Deacon Bob Hunt This year the United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of our founding, or …