The Serra Clubs of Nashville and Williamson County hosted their annual Vocations in Progress dinner for the seminarians of the Diocese of Nashville and the postulants of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia Congregation Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Catholic Pastoral Center in Nashville. The evening included Mass celebrated by Bishop J. Mark Spalding. Several seminarians as well as 18 new postulants with the Dominican sisters were in attendance, as was Greg Schweitz, president of Serra International, and his wife, Mary Lynn. Seminarian Juan Hernandez smiles at his 5-year-old niece Zoe Hernandez.

St. Philip the Apostle Church in Franklin buried its time capsule, in honor of the closing of its 150th anniversary celebration, Tuesday, Nov. 29, outside the church. The capsule contains more than 750 letters written by parishioners as well as a list of all currently registered parishioners; a necrology of all those who have been buried from St. Philip; a list of all the parishioners in leadership positions, such as the Pastoral Council, Finance Council and Ministries Council members; past news stories about the church; copies of histories of the City of Franklin, including one by St. Philip parishioner Margie Thessin, “Ghosts of Franklin: Tennessee’s Most Haunted Town” and more. Father Ed Steiner, pastor of St. Philip, blesses the grave before the time capsule is buried.

Dozens of Young Catholic Professionals across the Diocese of Nashville were afforded the opportunity to experience one of the unique gifts of the Catholic Church during the monthly meeting of YCP Nashville on Thursday, Nov. 18, in the Cathedral of the Incarnation’s Fleming Center. Three relics of St. Padre Pio were available for veneration with the opportunity for attendees to touch personal sacramentals to them, creating third class relics of their own. Paul Chen, leader of the Padre Pio Prayer Group - Nashville, sets up the relics.