Father Mark Sappenfield is reappointed to an additional six-year term as Pastor of St. Matthew Church in Franklin. Ordained in 1979 he has served at Holy Family Parish and Assumption High School in Davenport, Assumption Parish in Charlotte, St. Patrick Parish in Villa Nova, Mater Dei High School in Clinton, Assumption/St. She started as the full-time diocesan Young Adult Ministry coordinator on May 1. Time will tell., Documenting the Catholic Sexual Abuse and Financial Crisis Data on bishops, priests, brothers, nuns, Pope Francis, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Documenting the Abuse Crisis in the Roman Catholic Church Established June 2003, https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/stika-accepted-deacon-accused-of. He also served as chaplain and on the faculty at Knoxville Catholic High School. And that was the first time my eyes were raised., Why was he so strongly in favor of this man?. Reverend Kristopher Cowles, from Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls, to Priest Director of the St. Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion. He was ordained in 2015 and has served at St. Peter Parish in Buffalo, St. Alphonsus Parish in Davenport and St. Mary Parish in Davenport. She succeeds Peggy Humphreys, longtime executive secretary for Bishop Stika who retired in January. Father Sescon, who was ordained a priest in June 1986 in Cebu City in the Philippines, also has ministered to the Diocese of Knoxvilles Filipino Catholic community. Father Mark Schuster, who was the first priest ordained in the new Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in June 2019, will be the parochial administrator of St. Alphonsus. Sister Peter Miriams love for Christ and His Church inspired her to serve a year with NET Ministries, where she traveled around the country facilitating retreats for Catholic youth, challenging them to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church. Effective July 1, 2021, (unless indicated differently) the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments to pastorates and chaplaincies: Reverend Thomas Clement, from Pastor of St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka, to Pastor of St. Peter the Apostle, Platte, and St. Ann, Geddes. Bishop Richard F. Stika recently announced new pastoral assignments for the Diocese of Knoxville and a priest retirement. KNOXVILLE (TN)Knoxville News Sentinel [Knoxville TN]. Reverend Tyler Mattson, from Parochial Vicar, Christ the King, Sioux Falls, Chaplain at OGorman Junior High School, Sioux Falls, and Associate Vocations Director for the Diocese to Pastor St. Nicholas, Tea, and St. Christina, Parker, and Campus Ministry Coordinator in Sioux Falls. All but one of the assignments will become effective on Monday, June 28, 2021. Father Gary Beckman, 62, will remain pastor at St. Wenceslaus Parish in Iowa City, but also serve as pastor at St. Bernadette Parish in West Branch. Copyright 2023 Diocese of Knoxville. Unless noted, the appointments are effective July 1. He previously has served as Associate Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Cookeville and St. Joseph Church in Madison and as Administrator of Holy Rosary Church in Nashville. Parishes announced the changes in May, and they took effect (unless noted otherwise below) on July 15. He will continue to coordinate the Latin Mass community at Holy Ghost. Father Patrick Resen, a former lawyer and judge who has served as a priest of the Diocese of Knoxville since 2007, has announced his retirement from the active priesthood. Effective July 1, 2021, at the recommendation of the Pro Ecclesia Sancta community and the endorsement of their religious superior, the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments: Reverend Yamato Icochea, PES to Parochial Vicar of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell. Copyright 2023 Diocese of Knoxville. He was serving as temporary parochial administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in LaFollette, Christ the King Parish in Tazewell, and St. Jude Parish in Helenwood until Oct. 1. Father John ONeill is officially an American citizen following Nashville naturalization ceremony By Katie Peterson Tennessee Register After 30 years in the United States, Father John ONeill is officially an American citizen after taking his Oath of Allegiance during his naturalization ceremony on Jan. 18 at the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse in downtown Nashville. Reverend Michael Kapperman, in addition to his current role as Parochial Vicar, Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar at St. Mary Parish in Aberdeen. Father Schuster was ordained by Bishop Stika and has served as an associate pastor of St. John Neumann Parish in Farragut since his ordination. He has previously served as Associate Pastor and Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Murfreesboro. Bishop Richard F. Stika is bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. The priests listed a series of concerns, including his handling of the allegations involving a church seminarian who has been accused of raping an employee and the bishops dismissal of it. Bishop announces new priest assignments October 14, 2020 Bishop Richard F. Stika has announced new pastoral assignments, with their effective dates later than usual due to the impact of COVID-19 on parishes in the Diocese of Knoxville. After the deacon was dismissed from seminary, Stika agreed in 2017 to assign him to a year of parish ministry in the Knoxville diocese, and to reevaluate the mans suitability for both ordination to priesthood and possible incardination in the diocese, according to diocesan records. Father Resen has served as pastor at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City since 2014. Tyler Whetstone is an investigative reporter focused on accountability journalism. Diocese of Knoxville Priest Assignments. Bishop Stika also announced that longtime diocesan priest Father Tom Moser has retired from active priestly ministry. New priest assignments are effective Monday, July 2. He is simply not capable, another said, no matter how much he means well. Its a homecoming, Father ONeill said. Reverend Grant Lacey, from Pastor St. Peter the Apostle, Platte, and St. Ann Parish, Geddes, to University Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry at Mount Marty University and Sacred Heart Monastery, Yankton. Father Joseph Sia, 46, remains consultor for the Diocese of Davenport, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City and director of the recently ordained program for the diocese. Priest Assignments: September 2021 Aug 16, 2021 | Assignments After due consultation and prayerful reflection, and in order to provide for the proper care of souls entrusted to him, Bishop Joseph E. Strickland is pleased to announce the following pastoral assignments and appointments for the Diocese of Tyler. Brent Shelton - Pastor, St. Mary Church in Oak Ridge Fr. The Voice of Tennessee Catholic Life since 1937. Father Collins previously has served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa and St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. The transitional deacon, incardinated in another U.S. diocese, was dismissed from seminary after making sexual advances toward a younger seminarian in late 2016, according to diocesan records obtained byThe Pillar. Father Jhon Mario Garcia, a priest of the Congregation of the Mission, Lazarists, Vincentians who joined the Diocese of Knoxville earlier this year, has been named associate pastor at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus effective July 1. He joined the USCCB in July 2017, relocating to Washington, D.C. Father Joseph Mundakal, CMI, is released from the office of Pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Lawrenceburg and is appointed Administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Dover. Father Hai Dinh, 58, will become pastor of St. Mary Parish in Lone Tree, St. Joseph Parish in Hills and St. Mary Parish in Nichols. The investigation brought church officials to Knoxville to learn more about two lawsuits targeting the diocese over its handling of sex abuse allegations and complaints about Stikas leadership. Before immigrating, he was working as a vascular surgery resident in Ireland, England, and even Read more . Father Simpson was ordained on May 25, 2019. Previously, Father Sescon served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fairfield Glade from 2014 to 2018, He was incardinated into the Diocese of Knoxville in July 2016 after serving in the Archdiocese of Detroit for eight years. In 2018, another Tennessee bishop, Bishop Martin Holley wasformally removed from officeafter two years leading the Memphis diocese, after a Vatican-ordered investigation concluded his leadership was ineffective. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine Ss. Father Whitney was ordained a priest on May 22 at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City, where the Paulist Fathers are based. Reverend Andrew Dickinson, in addition to his current role as Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen, to Pastor of St. Mary, Aberdeen, and Priest Director of St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen, and Temporary Parish Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Westport. Rev. Reverend Paul W. Brant, S.J., a priest of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, Parochial Vicar at Saint Therese Parish in Wilson, has been granted, by his Provincial, a request for a working sabbatical from July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022. Priests in Knoxville toldThe Pillarthat issues go beyond personnel decisions. Father Thomas OConnell will serve as sacramental minister at St. Jude Church Parish in Helenwood. The letter alleges the bishop and the seminarian traveled together in the summer of 2021, evidenced by a video posted on Facebook. Saturday, March 4 at St. Gabriel Parish (Register here)Saturday, March 11 at Ave Maria Parish (Register here) Priests are known to speak mostly behind closed doors about church issues. The church successfully petitioned the court to obtain a judges order forcing the man to attach his name to the lawsuit. Additionally, Temporary Parochial Administrator, Our Lady of . Father Edward R. Kolla, Parochial Vicar, Christ the Good Shepherd, Vineland. news from the archives, original podcasts, saint bios, trivia and more! The diocesan Office of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil Ministry has announced that Paola Bustos Wolaver has been named a full-time Young Adult Ministry coordinator. Father Carter has served as the basilicas pastor since July 2014, when he succeeded Monsignor George Schmidt. The sacramental needs of Pope John Paul II High School will be provided for by Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville for the 2021-2022 School Year, with the anticipation of a stable chaplain being appointed in the Summer of 2022. He is currently pastor and rector at Sacred Heart Cathedral-Davenport. The Secretariat of Divine Worship carries out work for the USCCB in areas relating to the preparation and approval of liturgical books and texts in the United States. Father David Steinle, 70, will retire. Father Michael Hendershott has been appointed a full-time associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville effective July 1. He was ordained in June 2008 at Our Lady of Carmel Church in Pereira, Colombia. Adam Kane - Associate Pastor, Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville (Effective October 1, 2020). Reverend Brian Simon, from Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart, Eden, and St. Joseph, Grenville, to Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg, and St. Pius X, Onida. Father Moser will be in residence and serving as weekday minister at St. Catherine Labour Parish in Copperhill effective Sept. 9. He currently serves at St. Mary Parish in Wilton. Father Hendershott, who was ordained to the priesthood in 2015, has been serving as part-time associate pastor of Holy Ghost and coordinator of the Latin Mass community there. Reverend Monsignor Charles Mangan, from Parochial Vicar in the parishes of St. Martin, Emery, St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria, and St. Stephen, Bridgewater, and Chaplain to the Our Mother of Mercy and St. Joseph Monastery, Alexandria, at the invitation of its rector, to Spiritual Director and Faculty Member at Mount St. Marys Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. And the bishop pushed back. Father Bud Grant, 62, will become sacramental minister at St. Mary Parish in Wilton and remain on faculty at St. Ambrose University in Davenport and continue serving as sacramental minister at St. Andrew Parish in Blue Grass. He has served as pastor of Holy Resurrection Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Mission in Knoxville and sacramental minister at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery. Father Harvey also served as pastor of St. Alphonsus from December 2006 to 2011. Father Ebulueme was ordained on July 22, 1995, in his native Nigeria. After the deacon was dismissed from seminary, Stika agreed in 2017 to assign him to a year of parish ministry in the Knoxville diocese, and to reevaluate the man's suitability for both ordination to priesthood and possible incardination in the diocese, according to diocesan records. "We do not wish, in hindsight, to be accused on remaining silent, or of not having done enough in the interests of justice and charity," they wrote. Fr. The official said the complaints were serious, and included seemingly questionable living arrangements made by Stika to accommodate the seminarian who was recently dismissed from seminary. He declined further questions on the deacon or his relationship to the diocese. He previously served as Associate Pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksville. Philip & James Parish in Grand Mound and Sacred Heart Parish in Oxford Junction. In this diocese, he previously served as Associate Pastor and Pastor of St. Philip Church in Franklin. Father Mundakal was ordained on May 12, 1983, in his native India. Mark Spalding has announced new assignments for some priests serving in the Diocese of Nashville; seven churches will receive new pastors, administrators, or associate pastors. Catholic Church knoxdiocese knoxdiocese Photos See all Videos See all 0:38 We all care for him as a brother priest and as our bishop, and I believe that the most lovingChristian way that we can help him is to share our truth, the priest wrote. Father Adam A. Zajac, pastor, St. Mark Parish, Cleveland, was appointed pastor of St. Mel Parish, Cleveland, effective July 1. Follow him on Twitter @tyler_whetstone. Reverend Cesar Valencia, PES, to Pastor of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell. He served as pastor of St. Catherine Labour from 2014 to 2019, when he was appointed associate pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. The sacramental needs of Father Ryan High School will be provided for by Christ the King Church in Nashville and other parishes in the area for the 2021-2022 School Year, with the anticipation of a stable chaplain being appointed in the Summer of 2022. His previous assignments have included serving as an associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg, as pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge, as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral and St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge, and chaplain to the Hispanic community of St. Alphonsus Parish in Crossville. Father Alberto Sescon is the new chaplain of Ascension Living Alexian Village in Signal Mountain effective Sept. 9. Connect with Tyler by emailing him at tyler.whetstone@knoxnews.com. Babu, Pastor, St. Pius X Parish in Owensboro. By Dan McWilliams. Reverend Thomas Hartman, from Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton, and St. Joseph, Turton, and Sacramental Minister of the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen, to Pastor of St. Michael, Sioux Falls. Ordained in 2016, he has served at St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf, Assumption High School in Davenport, Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax and currently serves as pastor at St. Mary Parish in Grinnell. Subscribe to the print and/or e-edition, or make aone-time donation, today! For the Diocese of Knoxville, Father Franco has served as dean of the Smoky Mountain Deanery and on the diocesan Presbyteral Council. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine and St. Mary Parish in Solon. This appointment is in addition to his assignment as pastor, St. Mark Parish, Cleveland. And when you have someone that singles people out and goes after them, over the years the bishop will have gone after enough people that he has a level of control, that he can do things that arent right and get away with it. Following his 2017 ordination to the priesthood, Father Floersh was assigned as chaplain at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga and part-time parochial vicar at St. Stephen Parish in Chattanooga. Pierre is the representative of the American church to the Vatican in Rome. The bishop mentioned, in the presence of women, that a priests facemask reminded him of a womans bra. Thank you for holding each of these priests in prayer as they undergo these transitions in their ministry. Knox News is not naming the victim because he says he is a victim of a sex crime. John H. Burton, Pastor, Christ the Good Shepherd, Vineland. Check out this Jesuit/Dominican rap battle, Report: Wave of murders after elections in Nigeria forces Catholic diocese staff to evacuate, Portuguese bishops announce steps to end sexual abuse in the Church, Newly discovered ancient galaxies put spotlight on Big Bang Theory, Gods act of creation, Bravo Mayor Adams! NYC mayors speech on state and religion draws Catholic kudos, Albany Diocese places hold on all traditional Latin Masses in parishes except at martyrs shrine. Father Theo Ebulueme is reappointed to an additional six-year term as Pastor of Holy Name Church in Nashville. The Diocese of Knoxville bid farewell to one of its most beloved priests in January as it celebrated the life of Monsignor Bill Gahagan. And this is where the judgment was flawed, the priest said. He will continue in his role as vice postulator of the cause for canonization of Servant of God Isaac Hecker, founder of the Paulist Fathers. Prior to that he served as pastor of St. Catherine Labour in Copperhill, associate pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Madisonville, associate pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in Knoxville, and associate pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa. Bishop Richard Stika reportedly intended to ordain the deacon a priest, despite objections from both Knoxvilles diocesan priests and psychological experts. Father Anthony Stewart is released from the office of Associate Pastor of Holy Family Church in Brentwood, and upon canonical erection of the parish, will be appointed as Pastor of Mother Teresa Church in Nolensville for a term of six years. Date No appointments have been made yet this year. Father Francis Odoom, 44, will remain pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Lost Nation and become pastor at Assumption & St. Patrick Parish in Charlotte, Immaculate Conception Parish in Petersville, Ss. The Vatican has not yet announced whether it will launch a formal investigation. Reverend Steven Jones, from Priest Director, St. Thomas More Newman Center, to Pastor of St. Mary, Salem, and St. Patrick, Montrose. Taken in isolation, they are easily dismissed, and even quite comical, they wrote. This includes three retirements, one priest assigned to advanced studies and three deacon assignments. This includes three retirements, one priest assigned to advanced studies and three deacon assignments. In 2021 11 priests sent a letter to the highest reaches of the U.S. Catholic Church regarding the leadership of Bishop Richard Stika. Reverend Christopher Hughes, from Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton, and St. Liborius, Polo, to Pastor of St. Mary, Clear Lake, St. Peter, Gary, St. Francis de Sales, Estelline, Holy Rosary, Kranzburg, and St. John, Castlewood. Richard Graham To be ordained June 5, 2021 . Kentucky group provides rosary-making supplies locally, globally, A polished jewel: Catholic Pastoral Center brings community together, 2800 MCGAVOCK PIKE | NASHVILLE, TN, 37214-1402, Holy Rosary basketball coaches reflect on 30 years of partnership, Suspect in shooting death of LA Bishop OConnell charged with murder, St. Philip to host Lenten parish mission March 27-29, Lenten retreat on the Eucharist opens with focus on the Liturgy of the Word, Rite of Election signals final preparation stage for catechumens [Photo Gallery]. Father Franco, who has served as pastor of Immaculate Conception since August 2010, is a New York City native who was ordained a priest in October 1995. Father ODonnell will continue to have an office at St. John XXIII and live in Knoxville near the Paulist residence. Father Resen has relocated to El Paso, Texas, where his mother lived. Reverend Randy Phillips, from Pastor of St. George, Scotland, and St. Boniface, Idylwilde/Mayfield, to Pastor of St. Thomas, Faulkton, and St. Liborius. Father Moreno was ordained by Bishop Stika in November 2010 in his Central Mexico hometown. May God bless them and those they will serve. He succeeds Father Edward Steiner, whose tenure as Director of Ongoing Clergy Formation is concluding. All but one signed it electronically. Multiple sources in the Diocese of Knoxville toldThe Pillarthat Stika did eventually seek to ordain the deacon a priest of Knoxville, despite objections from senior diocesan officials and additional psychological experts. more recently criticized for permitting a Knoxville seminarian to live in the bishops residence, work as his personal assistant with an office in the diocesan chancery, and remain formally a diocesan seminarian, even after the man was dismissed in February from a seminary outside the diocese, for multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, and was accused in 2019 of sexually assaulting a parish employee. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine and St. Joseph Parish in Columbus Junction. The Diocese of Colorado Springs is partnering with the Catherine of Siena Institute (CSI) to offer the Called & Gifted charism discernment process to parishioners throughout our diocese.Click here to learn more about Called & Gifted.. Called & Gifted workshops will be offered on:. Father Carter, a canon lawyer, also was appointed earlier this year by Bishop Stika to lead the new Tribunal of the Diocese of Knoxville. Stika was briefly archdiocesan vicar for clergy, and for several years oversaw child and youth protection policies in the St. Louis archdiocese. Father Andrs Cano, who has been serving as associate pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, has been appointed coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and as sacramental minister to the Handmaids of the Precious Blood contemplative community at their Cor Jesu Monastery in New Market effective Sept. 9. Mark Spalding has announced new assignments for some priests serving in the Diocese of Nashville; seven churches will receive new pastors, administrators, or associate pastors. Previously, Father Vick served as pastor of St. Bridget from 2005 to 2009 and has been coordinator of Hispanic Ministry for the Chattanooga Deanery. Effective July 1, 2021, the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments which relieve the following priests from assigned ministry and thus permit them to retire: Reverend Jerome Kopel, from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg and St. Pius X, Onida, to Senior Priest. Associate Pastor, Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (July 1, 2020) Father Zachary Griffith Associate Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Chattanooga (Sept. 9, 2020) Father Michael Hendershott Full-Time Associate Pastor, Holy Ghost, Knoxville (July 1, 2020) Father Alexander Hernandez Associate Pastor, All Saints Church, Knoxville (Sept. 9, 2020) Fr. In March 2020, a priest of the diocese circulated an email to other local priests, saying Stikas leadership was a problem in the diocese, and was getting worse., The email accused Stika of lying, bullying, bad example-setting, shaming, overspending, not following through with what he said he would do, and going through the guise of consulting but not taking any of our suggestions into consideration., My heart and my prayers go out to the bishop, the priest wrote, adding he is not capable of understanding how his behavior affects us.. Bishop announces new priest assignments. Bishop Stika said he has nothing to hide and does not want to comment on those who might criticize his management style, a spokesman toldThe Pillaron Thursday. Father Valentin Iurochkin, IVE, a Russian priest who joined the Diocese of Knoxville in October 2019 and has been in residence at the basilica, has been appointed associate pastor of the basilica and chaplain at the University of TennesseeChattanooga Neumann Center effective Sept. 9. May 14, 2021 From staff reports 3:00 pm Bishop J. A signed copy was sent to the Apostolic Nuncio office. Priest Assignment Changes -July 2021. Priest Assignments | Diocese of Lafayette | Lafayette, IN Uniting in Heart Our Mission Shared Commitment Vision The Plan in Motion Why, What, and How Uniting in Heart Over Time Priest Assignments Pastorate Vision Plans Deanery & Pastorate Maps Resources Frequently Asked Questions Lexicon Prayer Why of Uniting in Heart Send feedback to messenger@davenportdiocese.org.This material may not be broadcast, published, rewritten or redistributed without written permission.