1808 to 1988

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]

1988 to 2009

Immaculate Conception Church – Knoxville

Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul –Chattanooga

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.

2009 to present

The most recent 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 In March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 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]

Stika's retirement was accepted by Pope Francis in June 2023. Stika said that he had sought early retirement due to health issues and denied claims that the Vatican forced him out.^[20] Francis appointed Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville as apostolic administrator for the diocese until the pope named a new bishop.^[21]

Sexual abuse cases

In April 2010, Bishop Stika revoked the ministerial privileges of Reverend William Casey, assigned to St. Dominic Catholic Church in Kingsport. Warren Tucker had accused Casey of raping and sexually abusing him during the 1970s, starting when he was an 11 year old altar boy. When confronted with these accusations, Casey admitted his crimes to Stika and other diocesan officials.^[22] Casey was convicted of first-degree sexual misconduct and aggravated rape in July 2011 of first-degree sexual misconduct and two counts of aggravated rape and sentenced to prison.^[23]The court sentenced Casey to 30 years in prison.^[24] The Vatican laicized Casey in 2013.^[25]

In January 2020, the diocese settled a lawsuit from Michael Boyd, who claimed that Monsignor Francis Mankeland and Bishop O'Connell sexually abused him as a child. Boyd claimed that Mankeland abused him multiple times over two and a half years during the 1990s when he was a fourth grader. Boyd said that O'Connell abused him twice. The Vatican had forced O'Connell to resign as bishop of Palm Beach in 2002 due to his admissions of sexual abuse years earlier in Missouri. After Boyd reported his allegations to the diocese in 2018, its investigation determined that they were not credible. The diocese said in 2020 that it agreed to settle due to the financial burden of continuing the lawsuit.^{[26][27][28][29]}

In February 2021, an organist at Sacred Heart Cathedral sued the diocese, alleging that he had been raped at his home in February 2019 by Wojciech Sobczuk, a Polish seminarian. The Jesuit Order had dismissed Sobczuk in 2018 after receiving accusations against him of sexual misconduct at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan. That same year, Stika invited Sobczuk to study in Knoxville for the priesthood and live at the bishop's rectory.

Shortly following the alleged rape of the organist, Stika sent Sobczuk to St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana. However, St. Meinad dismissed Sobczuk in February 2021 after receiving multiple new allegations of sexual misconduct.^[30] 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.^[30][31]

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.^[32]

In November 2022, a woman sued the diocese, claimed that she had been sexually abuse by Reverend Anthony D. Punnackal, a priest of the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate serving in the diocese. During a grief counseling session after the death of her husband, Punnackal allegedly fondled her breast and buttocks. After the incident, the woman notified police, who also notified the diocese. Punnackal was indicted in January 2022 on sexual battery by an authority figure and sexual battery.^[33][34][35] In November 2023, Punnackal was found not guilty of all criminal charges.^[36]

Bishops of Knoxville

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 (2009–2023)

Other diocesan priest who became bishop

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

High schools

• Knoxville Catholic High School – Knoxville
• Notre Dame High School – Chattanooga