| Diocese of Knoxville Dioecesis Knoxvillensis |
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|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Territory | East Tennessee |
| Ecclesiastical province | Archdiocese of Louisville |
| Metropolitan | Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Population - Catholics |
approx. 52,000 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | May 27, 1988 |
| Cathedral | Sacred Heart Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Benedict XVI |
| Bishop | Bishop of Knoxville |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Archbishop of Louisville |
| Website | |
| dioceseofknoxville.org | |
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 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).[1]
Contents |
The following is a list of Bishops who served the Diocese of Knoxville, along with their dates of service:
With a population of 52,000 Catholics, the diocese makes up about 2 percent of East Tennessee’s total population. The diocese is currently home to 44 parishes and two quasi-parishes. These parishes are served by 54 diocesan priests, 16 religious priests, 8 extern priests, 24 deacons, 10 brothers, and 33 sisters. Eleven religious orders are represented in the diocese.[1]
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 Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, and Latin. Ruthenian Catholics of the Byzantine Rite began celebrating the Divine Liturgy at Holy Family Church in Seymour, TN in 1999. They recently have changed locations to the old Holy Ghost Catholic Church building in Knoxville, TN at 9:30am on Sundays. Also, there is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic mission, St. Thomas the Apostle, also of the Byzantine Rite, that is currently celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the chapel of the Chancery in Knoxville, TN since May 2008 at 10:00am on Sundays.
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.[1]
While the Catholic Church has been a part of life in East Tennessee for over 166 years,[1] the Diocese of Knoxville was founded in 1988.[2] Before the creation, the area was part of the Diocese of Nashville.[2]
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"[3]
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