Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville

Updated on Nov 25, 2024

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Territory East Tennessee Denomination Catholic Church Area 36,887 km² Headquarters Tennessee, United States Country United States of America		Ecclesiastical province Louisville Rite Roman Rite Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral Founded 1988

Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2011)2,350,31263,000 (2.7%) Established May 27, 1988 (28 years ago) Parent organization United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Similar Knoxville Catholic High Sch, Saints Peter and Paul Cath, Roman Catholic Diocese, Roman Catholic Diocese, Roman Catholic Diocese

Roman catholic diocese of knoxville breaks ground on new cathedral

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville (Latin: Dioecesis Knoxvillensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Tennessee. It was founded on May 27, 1988 from the eastern counties of the Diocese of Nashville. This diocese covers most of East Tennessee; in addition to the see city of Knoxville, it includes Chattanooga and Johnson City. The Mother Church is Sacred Heart Cathedral, located on Northshore Drive in Knoxville. The two oldest churches are Saints Peter and Paul Basilica Parish of Chattanooga and Immaculate Conception Parish of Knoxville, both founded in 1852.

As of 2007, there were an estimated 52,000 Catholics within the diocese, which covers approximately 14,000 square miles (36,000 km²). The percentage of Catholic adherents within the diocese's borders constitute the lowest among American dioceses.

Roman catholic diocese of knoxville top 5 facts

Bishops

The following is a list of Bishops of the Diocese of Knoxville, along with their dates of service:

Anthony Joseph O'Connell (1988–1998; appointed Bishop of Palm Beach)

Joseph Edward Kurtz (1999–2007; appointed Archbishop of Louisville)

Richard Stika (12 January 2009 - )

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

James Vann Johnston, Jr. appointed Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in 2008

Currently

With a population of 60,000 Catholics, the diocese makes up about 2 percent of East Tennessee’s total population. The diocese is currently home to 47 parishes and four missions. These parishes are served by 54 diocesan priests, 16 religious priests, 8 extern priests, 24 deacons, 10 brothers, and 33 sisters. Eleven religious institutes are represented in the diocese.

Perpetual adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is available at many of the parishes and Masses are offered in a wide array of languages. This is chosen so that the spiritual needs of all parishioners are met. These languages include English, Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, and Latin.

With the influx of large numbers of Hispanic Catholics looking for work, the diocese faces many new challenges. If the estimates are correct and there are about 50,000 new Hispanic immigrants in the area, their number nearly doubles the area’s current official Catholic population. The clergy and laity of the diocese are working to welcome these new neighbors.

High schools

Knoxville Catholic High School (web page)

Notre Dame High School (Chattanooga) (web page)

Elementary schools

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School (Chattanooga)

Sacred Heart Cathedral School[web page http://www.shcschool.org]

St. Dominic School

St. John Neumann School

St. Joseph School

St. Jude School

St. Mary School (Johnson City)

St. Mary School (Oak Ridge)

Parishes

All Saints Church (web page) - Knoxville, TN

Blessed Sacrament Church - Harriman, TN

Christ the King Church - Tazewell, TN

Good Shepherd Church (web page) - Newport, TN

Holy Cross Church - Pigeon Forge, TN

Holy Family Church (web page) - Seymour, TN

Holy Ghost Church (web page ) - Knoxville, TN

Holy Spirit Catholic Church (web page) - Soddy-Daisy, TN

Holy Trinity Church - Jefferson City, TN

Immaculate Conception Church (web page ) - Knoxville, TN

John XXIII Catholic Center (web page ) - Knoxville, TN

Notre Dame Church (web page) - Greeneville, TN

Our Lady of Fatima Church (web page) - Alcoa, TN

Our Lady of Lourdes Church - South Pittsburg, TN

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church - Chattanooga, TN

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church - LaFollette, TN

Sacred Heart Cathedral (web page) - Knoxville, TN

Shepherd of the Valley Church - Dunlap, TN

St. Albert the Great Church - Knoxville, TN

St. Alphonsus Church - Crossville, TN

St. Ann Church - Lancing, TN

St. Anthony of Padua Church - Mountain City, TN

St. Augustine Church - Signal Mountain, TN

St. Bridget Church (web page) - Dayton, TN

St. Catherine Laboure Church - Copperhill, TN

St. Christopher Church - Jamestown, TN

St. Dominic Church - Kingsport, TN

St. Elizabeth Church - Elizabethton, TN

St. Francis of Assisi Church - Fairfield Glade, TN

St. Francis of Assisi Church - Townsend, TN

St. Henry Church - Rogersville, TN

St. James the Apostle Church - Sneedville, TN

St. John Neumann Church (web page) - Farragut, TN

St. Joseph Church - Norris, TN

St. Joseph the Worker Church - Madisonville, TN

St. Jude Church (web page) - Chattanooga, TN

St. Jude Church - Helenwood, TN

St. Mary Church (website) - Athens, TN

St. Mary Church - Gatlinburg, TN

St. Mary Church - Johnson City, TN

St. Mary Church - Oak Ridge, TN

St. Patrick Church - Morristown, TN

St. Stephen Church - Chattanooga, TN

St. Therese Church - Clinton, TN

St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church - Cleveland, TN

St. Thomas the Apostle Church - Lenoir City, TN

Sts. Peter and Paul Basilica (website)- Chattanooga, TN

History

While the Catholic Church has been a part of life in East Tennessee for over 166 years, the Diocese of Knoxville was founded in 1988. Before the creation, the area was part of the Diocese of Nashville.

Because of his role in the creation of the Diocese, Nashville’s Bishop James Daniel Niedergeses, was known as the “Grandfather of the Diocese of Knoxville"

References

Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville Wikipedia

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