East Tennessee Catholic | News from the Diocese of Knoxville Father Moser was born in St. Paul, Minn., and studied at the University of Minnesota before graduating from Loyola College in Baltimore. 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. He currently serves as pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Lost Nation, Ss. The priest assignments for 2021 are listed below. He was ordained in 1985 and has served at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Davenport, Sacred Heart Parish in Kinross, Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond, St. Joseph Parish in Wellman, St. Patrick Parish in Melrose, St. Patrick Parish in Georgetown and St. Peter Parish in Lovilia. Father Delphinus Mutajuka is released from the office of Associate Pastor of St. Edward Church in Nashville and is named Administrator of Sacred Heart Church in Loretto and Administrator of St. Joseph Church in St. Joseph. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. He was ordained in 1969 and has served at St. Patrick Parish and The Alverno in Clinton, Holy Family Parish and School in Davenport, Sacred Heart Parish and Mater Dei High School in Clinton, All Saints Parish in Keokuk and St. Paul the Apostle and St. Mary Parish in Davenport. Msgr. Additionally, Temporary Parochial Administrator, Our Lady of . Stika, through diocese spokesperson Jim Wogan, declined to comment or answer a list of questions from Knox News for this report. Father Moser will be in residence and serving as weekday minister at St. Catherine Labour Parish in Copperhill effective Sept. 9. Mar 22, 2021. He remains vicar general and a consultor for the diocese. Father Randy Stice is returning to East Tennessee as director of Worship and Liturgy for the Diocese of Knoxville effective Sept. 9 after serving a three-year term as associate director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The bishop said on a few occasions, in public and in private, that the apostolic nuncio assured him there would be no investigation into his handling of the seminarian in question. Bishop Stika also announced that longtime diocesan priest Father Tom Moser has retired from active priestly ministry. 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. She is scheduled to make her final vows in August. Priest Assignments: September 2021 - The Catholic Diocese of Tyler 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. Father Moiss Moreno, parochial vicar and chaplain of the Hispanic community at the Basilica of Sts. He currently serves at St. Mary Parish in Wilton. Suscribe to the eRegister, our electronic news bulletin, and keep up with the breaking news from the Tennessee Register. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine. Required fields are marked *. This includes three retirements, one priest assigned to advanced studies and three deacon assignments. He currently serves at St Joseph Parish in Hills, St. Mary Parish in Lone Tree and St. Mary Parish in Nichols. 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. Philip and James Parish in Grand Mound, St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City, Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton, St. Mary Parish in Wilton, Ss. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Reverend DeWayne Kayser, from Pastor of St Mary, Salem, to Chaplain Sanford USD Medical Center & Hospital, Sioux Falls. 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. Quietly over a period of weeks in 2021, 12 priests from across the diocese began discussing concerns they felt were not being properly addressed by Stika. Father Vlez-Cardona also has been the diocesan moderator of the Charismatic Movements for Hispanics. Will Schmid has been appointed Director of Spirituality Year for our seminary. Father Bala Showraiah, OFM, is appointed Pastor of St. Catherine Church in McMinnville for a term of six years. He is currently pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Brooklyn and St. Bridget Parish in Victor. But we felt like we went through all of the appropriate Christian-inspired and -led processes in order to reconcile and receive just responses to our legitimate concerns.. Father Rhodes Bolster is appointed an Episcopal Master of Ceremonies, to collaborate with the other Episcopal Master of Ceremonies, Father Gervan Menezes. 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. Father Torres also has served as deanery coordinator for vocations and master of ceremonies for diocesan Masses and as moderator of the Hispanic Marriage Encounter Ecclesial Movement. 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 ordination to the priesthood in 2007, Father Stice served as a parochial vicar in two parishes. 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. Bishop announces priest retirements Bishop Sullivan announces the following priests will retire effective July 1. Links to livestream Masses, videos in the Diocese of Davenport, Newton parish strives to raise awareness about human trafficking, Lenten mural tradition lives on at Regina Catholic EducationCenter, Left behind: people on the margins struggle to obtain vaccine , 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, Tesla union labor battle shows need for churchs leadership and teaching voice, Jonathan Roumies Lent: fasting, sharing faith, and a new film on the Jesus people. 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. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, will become associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Gatlinburg and Holy Cross Parish in Pigeon Forge. Prior to St. Alphonsus, among Father Harveys assignments were as pastor of Notre Dame Parish in Greeneville and as associate pastor of St. John Neumann in Farragut, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, Notre Dame, Good Shepherd in Newport, and St. Henry in Rogersville. Father Resens retirement was among several moves announced by Bishop Richard F. Stika in June that take effect this summer and will impact seven diocesan parishes. 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. Diocesan officials had concerns about that seminarian, priests toldThe Pillar, and were confused that Stika was insistent about keeping him in the diocese after objections were raised, even while the bishop was willing to dismiss other seminarians about whom similar concerns had been raised. 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. Through a spokesman, Stika said that seminarian was dismissed from the Diocese of Knoxville in December 2017, but he would not convey the reasons, and declined additional questions. Father Sappenfield was ordained on May 30, 2008. 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. Bishop Richard Stika reportedly intended to ordain the deacon a priest, despite objections from both Knoxvilles diocesan priests and psychological experts. Father Resen, 75, serves at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City and has been active in the pro-life ministry in East Tennessee. Succeeding Father ODonnell at St. John XXIII is Father Richard Whitney, CSP. Knox News received an unsigned copy of the letter from a source. Priests in Knoxville toldThe Pillarthat issues go beyond personnel decisions. WELCOME. The signed file was then destroyed. Father Carter has served as the basilicas pastor since July 2014, when he succeeded Monsignor George Schmidt. Father Resen has served as pastor at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City since 2014. The deacon was reportedly accused of other incidents of sexual misconduct while in seminary. He began that ministry Sept. 9. Father Alex Waraksa, who has been serving as an assisting priest and coordinator of Hispanic Ministry in the Five Rivers Deanery and has been in residence at Holy Trinity Parish in Jefferson City, has been named associate pastor at St. Jude effective Sept. 9. Priest Personnel Appointments, May 2021 | Catholic Diocese of Pensacola 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. Effective July 1, 2021, (unless indicated differently) the Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following priest appointments to parish and other assignments: Reverend Mark Axtmann, from Chaplain, Avera St. Lukes Hospital and Sacramental Minister at St. Mary, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar, St. Joseph, Mobridge, St. Michael, Herreid, St. Anthony, Selby, and St. Joseph, Eureka. Prior to that, he was associate pastor of St. Thrse of Lisieux Parish in Cleveland. New assignments for priests, deacons - The Catholic Messenger Several Knoxville priests toldThe Pillarthat Stikas apparent intention to ordain the aspiring priest is part of a pattern of questionable judgment, failure to listen to advice from both priests and experts, and, in some cases, failure to appreciate the significance of allegations of sexual misconduct. Reverend Cesar Valencia, PES, to Pastor of the parishes of Holy Family and Holy Spirit in Mitchell. This group, however, felt Stika was not responding to their requests and complaints. We are a vibrant and diverse community of Roman Catholic believers, numbering 1.6 million throughout San Bernardino and Riverside counties in Southern California. Mary & Joseph Parish in Sugar Creek and St. Patrick Parish in Delmar. Church leaders conducted whats called an apostolic visit about a year later, in November 2022. You dont just automatically jump to the next level (of complaint). He currently serves at Regina, St. Joseph in West Liberty and St. Bernadette Parish in West Branch. He wanted to give him more chances and he kept raising objections. Priest Assignment Changes -July 2021 - Office of the Bishop Date No appointments have been made yet this year. Manning conceded that the optics are bad on this, even while he defended the bishop. He will continue to coordinate the Latin Mass community at Holy Ghost. Father Corey Close, 37, will begin advanced studies in canon law. Pierre is the representative of the American church to the Vatican in Rome. 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. 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. 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. This led to an in-person meeting at which the 12 priests discussed a framework for the letter, two of the priests told Knox News. Office of Chancellor & Chief Operating Officer, Office of Stewardship & Strategic Planning, Youth, Young Adults, and Pastoral Juvenil, Cause of Sainthood for Father Patrick Ryan, https://etcatholic.org/2021/07/bishop-stika-announces-priest-assignments/. Required fields are marked *. Father Vick, a former dentist in private practice, was ordained to the priesthood in 1999. Diocese of Knoxville settles sexual abuse lawsuit out of court 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. Father James Vrba, 69, will retire. Not unlike the day of my ordination, Im in a complete daze this morning. Father Jerry Daniels, pastor of St. Catherine Labour, also will serve as resident chaplain at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton effective Sept. 9. I am new to the Chattanooga area, having moved here recently from the Diocese of Nashville. See the full list of new assignments here: https://goo.gl/NzCeAy. ATLANTAArchbishop Gregory John Hartmayer, OFM Conv., is pleased to convey the following official announcements regarding priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Philip and James Parish in Grand Mound. His first assignment was at St. Jude. The bishops behavior raised red flags, one priest toldThe Pillar. John H. Burton, Pastor, Christ the Good Shepherd, Vineland. Father Walter A. Norris, Pastor, Saint Joseph the Worker, Haddon Township. It also provides leadership in liturgical formation and sacramental catechesis and serves as a resource for bishops and diocesan liturgical commissions and offices of worship seeking advice. Im mourning the loss of many of our brothers who could not take it in this insanity. Im hoping that whatever comes of all of this, that we can go through a process of recovery as a presbyterate, because weve just been battered for years. And Father Jorge Mejia, also a priest of the Congregation of the Mission, Lazarists, Vincentians who joined the Diocese of Knoxville earlier this year, has been named associate pastor of All Saints Parish in Knoxville effective July 13. Changes in ministry will impact seven parishes across East Tennessee. Copyright 2023 Diocese of Knoxville. 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]. Sister Maria Juan, a native of Idaho, has been a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma since 2012.