Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville

In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Bardstown, a huge diocese in the American South and Midwest. The new state of Tennessee was part of this diocese. Pope Gregory XVI erected the Diocese of Nashville on July 28, 1837, taking all of Tennessee from the Diocese of Bardstown. The Knoxville area would remain part of the Diocese of Nashville for the next 166 years.[5]

Servant of God Father Patrick Ryan served as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Chattanooga from 1872 to 1878. He died from yellow fever in 1878 at age 33.[6] Ryan is described by an eyewitness as "going from house to house in the worst-infected section of the city to find what he could do for the sick and needy."[6] In 2016, the Diocese of Knoxville began a cause of canonization of Patrick Ryan.[7][8] In 2021, his remains were transferred from Mount Olivet Cemetery to Saints Peter and Paul Basilica.[9]

Immaculate Conception Church (Knoxville, Tennessee)

Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

Pope John Paul II erected the Diocese of Knoxville in 1988, taking its territory from the Diocese of Nashville.[10] Because of his role in the creation of the diocese, Nashville's Bishop James Niedergeses, was known as the "Grandfather of the Diocese of Knoxville".[11] The pope named Reverend Anthony O'Connell of the Diocese of Jefferson City as the first bishop of Knoxville. In 1998, John Paul II appointed O'Connell as bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach.[12][13] The next bishop of Knoxville was Monsignor Joseph Kurtz of the Diocese of Allentown, selected by John Paul II in 1999. Pope Benedict XVI named Kurtz as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville in 2007.

The current bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville is Richard Stika from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, named by Benedict XVI in 2009.

In September 2014, Stika initiated fundraising to construct a new cathedral in Knoxville.[14] Stika dedicated dedicated the new Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on March 3, 2018.[15]

In 2016, the diocese began a cause of canonization of Father Patrick Ryan, who served in Chattanooga in 1870s.[7][8] In 2021, his remains were transferred from Mount Olivet Cemetery to Saints Peter and Paul Basilica.[9]

Public masses were suspended on March 20, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 6, 2020, Stika issued a decree for the resumption of public Masses with protocols to reduce spread of the virus, including directives which prohibit the reception of communion on the tongue.[16]

In April 2021, an official from the Congregation for Bishops in Rome stated that it had received ten accusations against Stika under Vos estis lux mundi, a motu proprio or document issued by Pope Francis. The official stated it was likely that the Congregation would authorize Archbishop Kurtz to investigate the accusations.[17]

In May 2021, a group of diocesan priests and employees alleged that Stika had taken funds from diocesan education and employee benefit funds, including loan money from the 2020 Paycheck Protection Program, to help pay for the $36 million cathedral. One anonymous priest said "we are nearly bankrupt... there's just not going to be cash there."[18]

Also in May 2021, eleven diocesan priests, roughly 20 percent of the presbyterate, wrote to the apostolic nuncio for the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, requesting of the Holy See "merciful relief" from Stika's leadership. [19]

On April 16, 2010, Bishop Stika revoked the ministerial privileges of William Casey, a former diocesan priest. Casey had been accused of rape and sexual abuse by a young altar boy. When confronted, Casey admitted his crimes to Stika and other diocesan officials.[20] Casey was convicted in July 2011 of first-degree sexual misconduct and two counts of aggravated rape and sentenced to prison.[21] The Vatican laicized Casey on January 10, 2013.[22]

On January 1, 2020, the diocese settled a sex abuse lawsuit involving a man who claimed a priest and a former bishop sexually abused him as a child in the 1990's.[23][24][25][26] The accused were Monsignor Francis Xavier Mankel and Bishop O'Connell;[23][24] O'Connell previously confessed in 2002 to committing acts of sex abuse when serving in the Diocese of Jefferson.[27] The settlement terms were not disclosed.[23][24][26][25] Both parties to the lawsuit agreed to instead settle out of court.[23][24][26][25] Despite denying any wrongdoing concerning the two accused priests, both deceased, the diocese said it agreed to settle due to the financial burden of continuing the lawsuit.[23][24][26][25]

In February 2021, a lawsuit filed against both Stika and the diocese alleged that Wojciech Sobczuk, a Polish seminarian, raped and sexually harassed an organist at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The Jesuit Order had dismissed Sobczuk after receiving accusations against him of sexual misconduct at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. Stika then invited Sobczuk to study in Knoxville for the priesthood. Shortly following the alleged rape, Sobczuk moved into the bishop's rectory and was sent to St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana. However, that seminary also dismissed after multiple new allegations of sexual misconduct.[28] Sobczuk returned to Knoxville to live in the episcopal residence. Diocese officials appointed an outside investigator for the rape case. However, Stika later dismissed him, seemingly for asking questions from diocesan and seminary officials. Stika then hired his own investigator, who only interviewed Sobczuk before closing the investigation.[28]

In July 2022, the diocese successfully sought to de-anonymize the Sobczuk victim in court proceedings, going against prior diocesan policy to respect victim privacy. The diocese also attempted to place internal church documents under clergy-penitent privilege and the pontifical secret, going against prior instructions by the Vatican.[29]

In April 2022, Reverend Anthony D. Punnackal, a priest of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) serving in the diocese, was accused of 'one count of sexual battery and one count of sexual battery by an authority figure' during a grief counseling session.[30][31][32]

A diocesan employee in Knoxville sued the diocese and Stika in February 2023, claiming that the diocese tried to cover up the employee's rape by a seminarian in 2019. The alleged victim said that the diocese spread rumors that he was the perpetrator in the incident. The name of the seminarian was not released to the public.[33]

1. Anthony Joseph O'Connell (1988–1998), appointed Bishop of Palm Beach
2. Joseph Edward Kurtz (1999–2007), appointed Archbishop of Louisville
3. Richard Stika (2009–present)

• James Vann Johnston Jr. appointed Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and later Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph

• Knoxville Catholic High School (web page)
• Notre Dame High School (Chattanooga) (web page)