Divine Mercy

Parish Identity & Mission

The parish's own mission statement, posted on the official site (GIÁO XỨ page), reads in English: 'The Church of Divine Mercy is the personal Catholic Parish to serve Vietnamese community in the Diocese of Knoxville which always worships the Trinitarian God, follows Canon Law and Church teaching and practices charity towards others with the purpose to announce and propagate the Gospel to everyone, to maintain the beautiful traditions of the Vietnamese Church and to preserve and promote the Vietnamese culture and language.' The community is led by Father Dominic-Hạnh M. Nguyễn Trung Chánh, CRM (Pastor) and Deacon Joseph Hieu (Giuse Vĩnh Hiếu) Vinh, supported by an elected Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Internal and External Affairs officers, a Secretary, altar-server coordinators and a parish seminarian (Thầy Sáu Vĩnh Viễn Minh Cao).

• Patron: Divine Mercy
• Diocese: Knoxville (the diocese's only Vietnamese parish)
• Languages: Vietnamese (primary), English
• Web: divinemercyknox.org

History of Divine Mercy Parish

The Vietnamese Catholic community in Knoxville traces its origin to the late 1980s and early 1990s. The community first gathered for a monthly Mass at Immaculate Conception Church, then moved its liturgy to Knoxville Catholic High School as membership grew. In June 2012, Bishop Richard F. Stika announced the community's name (Divine Mercy) and appointed Father Hoan Dinh as its first permanent priest. Masses were soon raised to every Sunday plus daily Masses, and the community expanded from about 35 to roughly 400 members in 150 families. On November 17, 2013, Bishop Stika dedicated the Church of Divine Mercy at 10919 Carmichael Road in West Knoxville, near the Lovell Road–Pellissippi Parkway intersection. The parish was canonically erected on November 23, 2014, becoming the 49th parish of the Diocese of Knoxville. Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM, who had served as parochial administrator since June 2019, was installed as second pastor on June 11, 2023. On December 20, 2024, Bishop Mark Beckman and the Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer, U.S. Assumption Province, signed a written agreement entrusting the spiritual and pastoral care of the parish to the CRM while the parish itself remains under diocesan administration and operations.

• 1990s: Monthly Vietnamese Mass at Immaculate Conception Church
• 2000s: Liturgy moves to Knoxville Catholic High School
• June 2012: Bishop Stika names the community 'Divine Mercy' and appoints Father Hoan Dinh
• Nov. 17, 2013: Church dedicated by Bishop Stika at 10919 Carmichael Road
• Nov. 23, 2014: Parish canonically erected; the diocese's 49th parish
• June 2019: Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM, becomes parochial administrator
• June 11, 2023: Father Dominic Nguyen installed as second pastor
• Dec. 20, 2024: Diocese and Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer sign pastoral entrustment

Clergy & Parish Staff

• Pastor: Rev. Dominic-Hạnh M. Nguyễn Trung Chánh, CRM (Father Dominic Nguyen, CRM) — ordained to the priesthood June 6, 2009; installed second pastor of Divine Mercy June 11, 2023; member of the Clerics Regular Minor (Congregation of the Mother of the Redeemer)
• Deacon: Giuse Vĩnh Hiếu (Deacon Joseph Hieu Vinh) — joined Divine Mercy in 2020 after 13 years of diaconal service at Immaculate Conception Church
• Thầy Sáu Vĩnh Viễn Minh Cao — Permanent Seminarian
• Trưởng Hội Đồng Mục Vụ (Pastoral Council Chair): Quốc Việt
• Trưởng Hội Đồng Tài Chánh (Finance Council Chair): Hoàng Hồng Thuỷ
• Phó Nội Vụ (Internal Affairs Officer): Đỗ Văn Thành
• Phó Ngoại Vụ (External Affairs Officer): Đinh Lữ Quốc
• Thư Ký (Secretary): Cao Văn Chính

Sacraments & Faith Formation

The parish celebrates the Sacraments primarily in Vietnamese and runs its own Vietnamese-language catechism program (Giáo Lý – Việt Ngữ). Baptisms for children are scheduled after the 2nd-Sunday Mass of each month and require baptism catechesis for parents and godparents on Friday evening at 6:30 PM; families are asked to register with the parish office as early as possible.

• Baptism (Rửa Tội): after the 2nd-Sunday Mass of each month; pre-baptism class Friday 6:30 PM
• Reconciliation (Giải Tội): 30 minutes before any Mass
• Anointing of the Sick (Xức Dầu): administered by the pastor
• Vietnamese-language catechesis (Giáo Lý – Việt Ngữ) as parish faith formation

Parish Ministries & Organizations

Divine Mercy runs the typical Vietnamese Catholic parish structure of elected councils, devotional sections, and a vibrant youth server program. The TNTT (Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể — 'Eucharistic Children') is the parish's altar-server, devotions and religious-education youth movement, with its own published calendar of meetings. Liturgical ministries are coordinated each week through the online 'Lịch Phân Công Phụng Vụ' (Liturgy Schedule) that assigns lectors, Eucharistic ministers, gift-bearers and altar servers.

• Pastoral Council (Hội Đồng Mục Vụ) chaired by Quốc Việt
• Finance Council (Hội Đồng Tài Chánh) chaired by Hoàng Hồng Thuỷ
• Internal Affairs officer (Phó Nội Vụ): Đỗ Văn Thành
• External Affairs officer (Phó Ngoại Vụ): Đinh Lữ Quốc
• Secretary (Thư Ký): Cao Văn Chính
• Altar Servers – Trẻ Em (children) and Lớn (adult) sections coordinated by Nguyễn Thị Thuỳ Duyên, Kiên Nguyễn, Hoàng Anh Thi, Phạm Hoàng Hiếu
• TNTT – Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể (youth Eucharistic/devotional group) with its own meeting calendar
• Liturgical Decoration (Trang Trí): Phạm Thị Hoa, Nguyễn Phúc Phước, Nguyễn An
• Lectors (Bài Đọc), Eucharistic Ministers and gift-bearers (Dâng Của Lễ) scheduled weekly

Devotions & Special Liturgies

The parish publishes devotions and feast-day Masses on its homepage throughout the year. Eucharistic Adoration (Chầu Thánh Thể) is offered on weekdays and Saturdays, and the parish gathers for major Vietnamese and universal feasts such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary (normally celebrated as a triduum-style Mass on the Friday and Saturday following the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, with a morning Mass at 8:15 AM).

• Eucharistic Adoration (Chầu Thánh Thể)
• Sacred Heart of Jesus / Immaculate Heart of Mary Mass
• Sunday-of-Divine-Mercy (Lễ Lòng Thương Xót Chúa) celebrations tied to the parish patron
• First Friday / First Saturday devotional Masses

Visit, Contact & Practical Information

Divine Mercy is located in West Knoxville at 10919 Carmichael Road, near the intersection of Lovell Road and the Pellissippi Parkway (I-140). The parish office is open 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and can be reached at (865) 454-8317 (fax 865-766-2091). The pastor's number is published as 417-758-4753. The official website is divinemercyknox.org and the parish maintains a Facebook page under 'The Church of Divine Mercy | Knoxville TN'.

• Address: 10919 Carmichael Rd., Knoxville, TN 37932
• Phone: (865) 454-8317 / Fax: (865) 766-2091
• Pastor's direct line: 417-758-4753
• Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Web: http://www.divinemercyknox.org/
• Facebook: facebook.com/knoxvillechurchofdivinemercy