JuliAnna & Peter Hills delivered their fourth baby, Maximilian John, on April 8. The Hills family asks your prayers for Max. Max was born with a partially collapsed lung. Update 4/14/24: Maximilian did it! He is home from the hospital, safe and sound! Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray as he develops. Click for info and a meal train for the Hills family.

As a parish enjoying the title of ‘minor Basilica’, we have the responsibility to share the gift of sacred art and architecture of our church. We receive many requests for tours from schools and other groups of pilgrims. We are looking for parishioners to serve as docents and offer tours to visitors. Click for more information. *** Fr. Carter will offer an initial training Sat. April 6 at 3pm in the Basilica. ***

St. Ambrose Catholic Homeschool Co-op meets at the Basilica on Friday mornings. Registration is open now until May 10th for the 2024-25 school year. (Families moving to Chattanooga over the summer may apply after that date.) Classes begin August 16 for nursery-aged children through high schoolers. Classes offered include Latin, Sign Language, Art, Science, US Geography, Chemistry, Health, and more. Detailed information and registration forms are posted on our St. Ambrose page (click to access). To schedule a visit or with questions, please e-mail stambrosecoop@gmail.com.

Our Lorelei’s Library in the hallway next to the Basilica is available for every parishioner to check out a single book at a time for up to 3 weeks. We have a few friendly requests: PARENTS, please write in your own name and phone number LEGIBLY on the checkout card so that we can follow up with you if needed. Also, if your child takes some books out to look at, please kindly put them back in the right place, by category and title. THANK YOU for your help so that everyone can find and enjoy the books! Click for more info about Lorelei's Library.

Mary Antoinette ("Toni") Powell passed away at the age of 79 on March 19, 2024. Toni was an active Basilica parishioner and volunteer in the Altar Ministry, until she moved to Hixson a couple of years ago. Toni will be greatly missed. May Toni Powell, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Click to see Toni's funeral arrangements and obituary, once they are available at the Chattanooga Funeral Home - North Chapel website.

Our Collection Counting ministry needs more volunteers to help count the offertory collection. The work usually takes between one and two hours. For more information and to volunteer for this ministry, contact Marina Delaney in the parish office at business@stspeterandpaulbasilica.com

Emilio Tomás Diaz, Basilica parishioner, passed away March 13, 2024. A funeral services for Emilio will be held Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 10am at Advantage Funeral, with visitation until 4pm. (Click for details.) Please pray for his soul, especially the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

The River Gallery, which is owned by parishioners of the Basilica, is currently exhibiting religious artwork, featuring Basilica images photographed by Stephen Golder. We invite you to the opening reception Friday, March 8, 5:30-7pm, the photography demo Saturday, March 9 12-2pm, and to enjoy the exhibit during March and April!

Click to read Fr. Carter's letter to parishioners about these updates about our deacon and seminarians: (1) Dcn. Gaspar DeGaetano has retired from active ministry. (2) Dcn. Renzo Alvarado Suarez is now serving at our English Masses and activities as part of his English immersion experience. (3) Seminarian Nicholas Hickman has been installed in the official ministry of Lector of the Church.

In 2022, Basilica parishioner Lynn Elverd, a veteran servant of our Altar Ministry, Religious Education helper, and Greeter, suffered multiple spinal fractures caused by cancer. After several months of chemo and a stem cell treatment, she has remained in 100% remission since 2023! She will need continued chemo. Thank you for your prayers for Lynn! (Click for more info)

The Diocese of Knoxville is taking a group of teens to Steubenville Atlanta, hosted by the Archdiocese of Atlanta, July 26-28, 2024. The Steubenville youth conferences exist to bring high schoolers into a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Click for details. Early bird registration due by March 15.  

Please welcome Fr. Michael Hendershott, S.T.L., who arrived at the Basilica on Feb. 12. Fr. Hendershott is at the Basilica on a temporary assignment as our Parochial Vicar. You can read about Fr. Hendershott here.

Seminarian Nicholas Hickman, our Basilica parishioner, is in his first year at St. Meinrad Seminary. He was back home at the Basilica recently when we had the Vocation Story night, and he wrote a letter to fellow Basilica parishioners expressing thanks and giving an update on his experience in seminary. Click to read the letter.

Charlene (C. K.) Reynolds, longtime Basilica parishioner, passed away on Feb. 12 peacefully in the presence of her family. Charlene had been very ill for seven years or so, including liver disease and cancer. Charlene's funeral Mass will be Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 at 1pm at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.

“Accompany Me” Women’s Retreat Mar. 15-17 with Fr. Zachary Griffith will be hosted by the Dominican Sisters at Bethany Retreat House, 2002 Garner Creek Rd. Dickson, TN. Cost is $260. Space is limited. Register with Denice Eckler 423-322-5218.

Effective Feb. 12, 2024, Fr. Michael Hendershott will be coming to the Basilica on a temporary assignment to serve as our Parochial Vicar. He will also take up the sacramental responsibilities at the Catholic Student Center on campus. In order to facilitate this move, our beloved Fr. Valentin Iurochkin, who has been with us since December 30, 2019, has been asked to become the Parochial Vicar of Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville. (Click to read Fr. Carter's full letter to parishioners.)

Mrs. Pamela Mahoney Rudd, longtime Basilica parishioner, passed away in her home January 24, 2024, around 10pm, in the company of her family. Her death followed a brief bout with brain cancer, that was diagnosed in early December, 2023. Pamela is survived by her husband, Robin Rudd, her six grown children, and fourteen grandchildren. She was the oldest of eight siblings, including the Basilica's late maintenance supervisor, John Mahoney. Pam's funeral arrangements will be announced here as soon as they are available.  Please pray for her, especially the Divine Mercy Chaplet. [Click for more info.]

Fr. David Carter gives commentary on the Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings, issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith on 12/18/2023.

Here is an Eight Day Home Service for Advent, compiled by Basilica parishioner Diane Tobin, to celebrate the eight days before Christmas that celebrate the titles of Jesus as prophesied of old. It follows the liturgical cycle of the “O Antiphons” Fr. Carter recommends this service as a home devotion in the final week of Advent.

East 8th Street will be closed in front of the church for three days, from December 13-15, while a crane is on-site repairing loose mortar on the bell tower. During this time, there will not be thru-traffic between Georgia Ave. and Lindsey St. The Basilica main parking lot will be closed. Visitors can park at All Saints Academy at 310 E 8th Street, accessed from Lindsey Street. (There is no need to pay for parking while the crane is present.) The front entrance to the church will not be accessible. The Basilica campus can only be accessed by walking through the side gate on Lindsey Street at the St. Dominic Building. Visitors can then enter the church through the lower level glass door entrance to Varallo Parish Hall. Thank you for your patience as we make these repairs necessary for everyone's safety.