Most powerful Catholic leader
in East Tennessee is out.
Pope Francis accepted the
resignation of Bishop Richard Stika.
For the last 14 years,
he has been the leader of some
70,000 Catholics across this region,
the longest tenure for a Bishop
here in Knoxville. Good evening,
and thank you for watching Fox 43 news.
At 10, I'm Katie Inman.
We do have team coverage of this shakeup
sparking national attention tonight.
Reporter Maria Guzman with
what's next for the diocese.
But first, we turn to reporter Renee Simlott,
who spoke with that Saint Louis native,
Vinay.
He says he's gotten tired.
It's made it difficult to keep doing the job.
He's touted this cathedral as one of
his crowning achievements as Bishop.
In a church based around forgiveness,
you know, cradle Catholic
Christy Higgins says
Bishop Richard Stick.
I did the unforgivable.
It's so disturbing,
the Bishop says after 14
years he had to step back.
And in those fourteen years,
I've had two near death experiences
in a lawsuit against the Catholic Church.
A former musician accused
a seminarian of ****** him.
WBIR does not name sexual assault victims.
We are not naming the seminarian because
he hasn't been charged with a crime.
He continued to, you know, cover
up allegations against this man.
10 News received a trove of
documents from a Catholic Church
source we've agreed not to name.
They show the seminarian accused of
rape was close with Bishop stick out,
even sharing a meal with the Bishop and
the person who accused him of rape.
After multiple complaints
against that seminarian,
the Bishop wrote a letter telling his St.
Louis alma mater,
the Catholic Church would pay
for the seminarians education
and his living expenses
never covered up anything.
But I can't talk about the lawsuit.
Priests complained Bishop
Stick. I was giving the
seminary and special treatment
the feeling among our priests that
that they were afraid of retribution.
They were afraid to really
come out and help us. The
Bishop says he didn't resign because of
the criticism, but it played a role.
It's tough to hear criticism and most
of the time it's been unwarranted,
but it's real, he says.
He knows both sides.
I was abused by a priest when I was a
freshman in high school in Holland, MI.
I reported it.
And then years later as a Bishop,
I wanted to check if there was a
record and there was and and so
but I wanted to make sure and the
priest is no longer in ministry.
Christy
Higgins says the Bishop mishandled
the case in Knoxville. The church
is not really
who's in the wrong here it
it's been Bishop sticker.
She petitioned for a change at the top for
this diocese as long as serving Bishop.
The Bishop says he and retired Cardinal
Justin Rigali, who lives with him,
plan on moving back to St. Louis.
That's where the Bishop grew up and he
says spent the 1st 50 years of his life.
But I thank you.
Our reporter Maria Guzman joins us now.
And Maria, we already know how this
decision will play out in the next few days.
Well, Katie, right now,
Archbishop Shelton Fob of Louisville
is the apostate administrator
for the Diocese of Knoxville.
Now, tomorrow he will be in Knoxville
to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral
of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
He is now responsible for both
Louisville and Knoxville,
and he will divide his time
between both cities.
As to what's next,
Archbishop Fob says he plans to name a priest
of the Diocese of Knoxville to help him.
Now our Bishop FOB comes to Knoxville with
more than 30 years of leadership experience.
His role in the Catholic Church has
ranged from priest to our Bishop now.
He was first ordained priest for
the Diocese of Baton Rouge in 1989.
Now during his time in Baton Rouge,
he served as pastor in various churches.
2013,
Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of
the Diocese of Homa Tiboda in Louisiana.
And in 20/22,
he was appointed as Archbishop
of the art Diocese of Louisville.
He'll make sure that daytoday
operations are going smoothly.
He doesn't have a whole lot of authority,
but he wants to keep it
kind of calm, you know.
And then eventually the Pope
will name a new Bishop.
Now the retired
Bishop Stickup says these changes
come in a time where Catholicism
is growing in the South.
As to how long it will take for Pope Francis
to appoint an Archbishop to Knoxville,
we still don't know.
Now that can take days or months.
Now sick assess.
Before he came to Knoxville,
the position was open for 18 months.
Maria, thank you for that perspective.