SMLC News
SMLC Executive Director Martin Vargas retires after almost 4 years of tireless service.
March 31, 2025
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To read his farewell letter, click here
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SMLC partners with Catholic Charities of East TN, Bringing the Gospel to Life
March 12, 2025
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For the full article, click here
SMLC celebrates opening of Pigeon Forge clinic site
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic held a ribbon-cutting celebration for its newest clinic site on Sept. 11. Bishop Mark Beckman blessed the new clinic site at Holy Cross Church in Pigeon Forge. The site is SMLC's 10th clinic site and includes community partners offering a mobile shower trailer, a mobile American Job Center, and a nearby laundromat.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic takes health care to its patients around East Tennessee
The St. Mary's Legacy Clinic is a driving force in increasing access to health care in East Tennessee - literally. Sister Mary Lisa Renfer travels with the mobile clinic to provide free care to patients in Knox, Grainger, Cumberland, Scott, Meigs, McMinn and Sevier counties.
In recognition of her work with the clinic, Renfer has been selected as a 2024-25 Lumen Christi Award finalist by the Catholic Extension Society.
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Click here to continue reading the Knox News Sentinel article.
Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, DO, receives our highest honor for leading St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic
Catholic Extension Society extended their highest honor, the Lumen Christi Award, to Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, for leading St. Mary's Legacy Clinic
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For the full article at The East TN Catholic, click here
Sister Mary Lisa Renfer named Lumen Christi finalist
Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, DO, medical director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic has been named as one of the Lumen Christi finalists for 2024. The Lumen Christi Award by Catholic Extension is given to people who "radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve." Sister Mary Lisa's works with the mobile medical providing medical care to the uninsured across rural East Tennessee demonstrates her dedication to walking with every single patient she serves, showing them dignity, respect, and the love of Christ.
SMLC hosts special guests at clinic visit
The St. Mary's Legacy Clinic hosted visitors from Catholic Extension and DePaul University at its St. Alphonsus Church clinic site in Crossville on Aug. 27. Catholic Extension is a national fundraising organization that supports and strengthens mission dioceses across the United States, including the Diocese of Knoxville. The organization provides funding and resources through programs and services investing in people, infrastructure, and ministries. Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, medical director of the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, was recently named a finalist for Catholic Extension's Lumen Christi Award, given to people who “radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve.” Students from DePaul University are currently conducting research on SMLC volunteers and patient resources. Catholic Extension representitives also met with Bishop Beckman at the Chancery in Knoxville.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic expands to Crossville, TN
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic has expanded. It is now visiting St. Alphonsus in Crossville, TN on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.
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Amazing Opportunities
Experiential learning is a powerful tool that allows students to connect in-class learning with real-world experiences. For one student organization, these experiences have led to newfound connections and career opportunities.
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Three AMAze students and three local organizations—St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, the Widowed Parent Relief Project, and Weigel’s—formed meaningful and fruitful relationships that grew through their work.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic expands to Crossville, TN
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic continues to expand its reach with the goal of providing holistic health care to the rural uninsured of East Tennessee.
On April 23, the mobile medical clinic opened its doors for the first time in Crossville, with a new site at St. Alphonsus Church located at 151 St. Alphonsus Way.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic celebrates 10th year
For a decade, the clinic has extended the healing ministry of Jesus Christ throughout rural East Tennessee serving the uninsured. “From the beginning of my time with St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, what has rung true is that the Lord cares tenderly for the patients that we serve and never fails to provide us with what we need,” said Sister Mary Lisa Renfer of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich.
Doc Rock Knox Magazine
SMLC was represented by the band BBS for the Doc Rock charity event on Saturday, January 21, to raise money for medical charities. It was a fun and exciting night of rock and roll with SMLC in attendance. The evening was filled with laughter, music, and dancing as the band took the stage to perform some classic rock songs. Everyone had a great time and it was an amazing experience for all involved. The purpose of the event was to raise money for medical charities, and everyone who attended did their part in helping out. All proceeds from the event went directly to these charities, making it a great way for people to give back while having fun at the same time. Doc Rock was an incredible success and we are proud to have been part of such a wonderful cause! VIP Knoxville wrote a wonderful article about the event and even added a picture of our staff members Hannah, Rebecca and Bri!
SMLC @ Knox St. Patrick's Day Parade - 2023
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by entering the clinic and its volunteers and staff in the 2023 Knox St. Patrick’s Day Parade! As you can see below, we had a blast walking in the parade to get the word out about St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.
SMLC benefits from the Bishop's Appeal
Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries greatly benefits SMLC. We have added over 50 volunteers in FYE 2023. The Bishop's Appeal drove a good percentage of the outpouring of new volunteers and significantly increased awareness of SMLC’s ministry.
St. Joseph JV boys hoops team raises funds for Legacy Clinic
In December, while many children were dreaming of what they might receive for Christmas, the junior varsity basketball team at St. Joseph School in Knoxville was only dreaming about how they could give back. The JV team donated the proceeds form a fund raising game to the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. After learning about the great work of the mobile medical clinic, the boys decided that half of the evening’s proceeds should go straight to the clinic.
​SMLC honors volunteers and looks to the future
By all accounts, volunteers are the lifeblood of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic’s medical ministry. Our volunteers make sure every patient has a positive experience in the face of health issues that affect many uninsured people in the rural Appalachia communities of East Tennessee.
Sr. Mary Lisa starts local CMA Guild for health professionals
The Catholic Medical Association Guild allows medical professionals to have fellowship with like-minded individuals, grow in their knowledge of the faith, and support upcoming medical professionals such as medical and nursing students going through training.
‘A match made in heaven’
Catholic Charities and St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic partner to provide health care in Scott County. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic are partnering on a unique ministry that provides a shot in the arm to health care in Scott County, which has joined the ranks of rural areas where the dedicated practice of medicine is at risk.
SMLC & CCETN Filling in healthcare gaps in Scott County
HELENWOOD, Tenn. (WATE) — SMLC and Catholic Charities is filling in the gaps in rural Scott County after noticing healthcare shortages in the region. Saint Mary’s Legacy Clinic, a mobile medical mission, will now be offering its services in Scott County thanks to a partnership with Catholic Charities. The clinic offers a range of primary care services including treatment plans provided by health care professionals, prescriptions, laboratory work and more. In addition, Catholic Charities just opened a new pregnancy help center in Helenwood. The center will help with pregnancy testing and adoption options, along with providing diapers, formula and even cribs to parents in need.
​Clinic adding two new locations
Church of Divine Mercy in Knoxville and Helenwood Pregnancy Help Center in Scott County are the newest sites for St. Mary's Legacy Clinic.
SMLC @ All Saints health and wellness expo
The expo will include several informational booths and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, which will be onsite Saturday, Aug. 20. “We’re going to provide some health screenings for glucose and blood pressure, and we will also be available to offer mental health screening,” said clinic executive director Martin Vargas.
Lumen Christi Award finalist Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, DO, from the Diocese of Knoxville, TN
The Lumen Christi Award is Catholic Extension’s highest honor given to people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve. This year, 40 dioceses submitted nominations for the award. Each nomination celebrates the humble heroes who powerfully impact others through their actions, leadership and faithfulness. Seven of the 40 nominees were chosen as award finalists.
Catholic author includes St. JPII Mission in new book
Out of all the Catholic churches in the state of Tennessee, writer Daniel Markham chose to visit St. John Paul II Catholic Mission in Rutledge. One element in particular attracted him to the Diocese of Knoxville: the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. In his research for Tennessee, Mr. Markham came across the mobile clinic and “knew that was something that would make a good subject” for his upcoming book, 52 Masses.
SMLC on display in Knoxville budget address
To illustrate the continuing legacy of St. Mary’s ministry in the community, the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic and its staff were on hand when the city of Knoxville and mayor Indya Kincannon gathered hundreds of city and Knox County officials for the annual state of the city address at the site of the old St. Mary's Hospital.
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All Saints' Mardi Gras supports clinic
Fat Tuesday came to All Saints Catholic Church with the annual Mardi Gras "FUNdraiser"!
SMLC honors volunteers, looks to future
This year’s volunteer appreciation Mass and luncheon for the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic cast a wide net on its past efforts and current accomplishments and touched briefly on future goals of the mobile health-care ministry, which has been rolling into medically underserved communities in East Tennessee since 2014.
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St. Mary's Legacy Clinic launches Athenahealth!
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic launches Athenahealth Electronic Medical Records System (EMR) on 12/1/21 at our Washburn Clinic and for telehealth vists. Athenahealth's solution suite helps to drive better patient outcomes by improving efficiency, speed of communication, improving our volunteer’s productivity and will be instrumental in helping SMLC expand services for patients, like our new patient portal. Look for more to come as continue our implementation.
SMLC names new executive director, projects assistant
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has named Martin P. Vargas as its executive director. Also joining the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic is Sister Mary Luke Feldpausch, RSM, who is serving as a clinic assistant and special projects volunteer for the clinic.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic raising funds for a new mobile van
An open house and fundraiser May 8 at the clinic’s home site at Divine Mercy Church in West Knoxville served to call attention to the clinic and its desire for a new mobile medical van.
The Pillar: In Tennessee, medicine and mercy are on the move
The people of Crab Orchard are men and women made in the image of God. That’s why the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma come to Crab Orchard, with doctors and nurses joining them. They come in a mobile medical clinic, to treat chronic illnesses or long-festering wounds for patients without insurance or the money for a doctor.
In rural East Tennessee, a mobile clinic run by nuns and aging volunteers cares for the body
CRAB ORCHARD, Tenn. (RNS) — On a Tuesday morning in late October, Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, dressed in a full habit, the wind whipping her veil behind her, stood in the parking lot of Crab Orchard Christian Church, where the mobile clinic she runs out of a 40-foot-long truck was parked.
Religious Sisters of Mercy fill important diocesan positions
Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, DO, is the new medical director of the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic. Sister Mary Lisa succeeds Sister Mariana Koonce, RSM, MD, who was the clinic’s medical director since its founding by the bishop in 2013.
New Crab Orchard Location
Our Crab Orchard Clinics will now be located at Crab Orchard Christian Church.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic Update to COVID-19
Please know we are committed to the safety of our patients, volunteers, and staff. We are still caring for our patients. However, in order to protect everyone, we have made some changes.
Knoxville News Sentinel: 'They come away loved'
How St. Mary's Legacy Clinic works to help East Tennessee.
Crossville Chronicle: St. Mary's Legacy Clinic celebrates 5 years
On the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, the St. Mary's Legacy Clinic, a mobile clinic operated by the Diocese of Knoxville, comes to Crab Orchard and offers free medical care to low-income patients in the community who have no health insurance.
Luncheon celebrates fifth anniversary of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic celebrated its fifth anniversary Nov. 5 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Lenoir City by holding its fourth Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.
A Legacy of Healing
Heartfelt gratitude is currency for the clinic and worth its weight in gold for Sister Mariana Koonce, MD, a Religious Sister of Mercy and medical director for the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, and her volunteers who bring free health care to the uninsured in more than 35 counties served by the Diocese of Knoxville.
SMLC dedicates new storage facility
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic now has a permanent residence – a 40-by-60-foot warehouse that can house the mobile clinic when it isn’t on the road delivering free medical care to those in need across East Tennessee.
St. Mary's Legacy Clinic dedicates new storage facility
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic now has a permanent residence – a 40-by-60-foot warehouse that can house the mobile clinic when it isn’t on the road delivering free medical care to those in need across East Tennessee.
WATE-6: 'Doctor's office on wheels' brings medical care to rural East Tennesseans
Lori Tucker from WATE-TV Channel 6 (ABC) in Knoxville came out to Crab Orchard to do a story on the clinic
The St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic will soon have a new home. The diocese broke ground July 1 for a 40-by-60-foot warehouse that will house the mobile clinic, which is a family physician’s office on wheels that provides free health care each month to the needy of Washburn, Crab Orchard, and Athens.
After more than a year of planning and anticipation, the Diocese of Knoxville dedicated the region’s newest mobile medical clinic Sept. 11 during a ceremony attended by diocesan partners and community supporters.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic a key step closer to serving ET
Foundation board approves $400,000 to purchase custom-built mobile medical clinic to assist those in need. As the 83rd anniversary of St. Mary’s Hospital’s opening was marked April 22, the founding Sisters of Mercy were at work putting the finishing touches on a new health care ministry for East Tennessee.