Pope Francis appoints new bishop in Tennessee after former bishop’s resignation under pressure

Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. James Mark Beckman bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee, nearly a year after the previous bishop resigned following claims he mishandled sexual abuse allegations

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. James Mark Beckman bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee, nearly a year after the previous bishop resigned under pressure following claims he mishandled sex abuse allegations.

The Vatican announced the appointment in its Tuesday afternoon bulletin. As usual, the announcement made no mention of his predecessor or the circumstances under which he left the post.

Newly elected Bishop Beckman is a priest of the Diocese of Nashville, where he has been pastor of Saint Henry Parish since 2015, according to the announcement. He received his master’s degree in religious studies from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium in 1989 and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Nashville in 1990.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Richard Stika last June, closing a turbulent chapter for the southern US diocese, which was marked by a notable uprising by some of its priests. They accused Stika of abusing his authority during his 14 years as bishop of Knoxville and of protecting a seminarian accused of sexual misconduct.

They appealed to the Vatican in 2021 for “merciful relief,” citing their own mental health, prompting a Vatican investigation that led to Stika’s resignation.

In media interviews, Stika strongly defended his actions and his leadership, saying he was working to bring unity to the diocese.