Most Reverend Richard F. Stika, Bishop of Knoxville
On January 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed the Reverend Monsignor, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, to become the Third Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. Since his ordination to the priesthood in 1985, he has served both in pastoral and archdiocesan leadership roles, including Chancellor and Vicar General for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. At the Knoxville Convention Center on March 19, 20o9, he was ordained and installed as Bishop of Knoxville.

Reverend T. Allen Humbrecht (Father Al)
Fr. Al was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral effective August 4, 1997. He was ordained a priest in 1972 at St. Henry’s Parish in his hometown of Nashville, and his first assignment was as Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart. He went on to serve the next 24 years as a priest at parishes in the Chattanooga area. Fr. Al also taught at Notre Dame High School. He holds a BS degree from St. Pius X Seminary and a Master’s Degree in Liturgical Studies from Catholic University.

Reverend David Boettner (Father David)  
Priest-in-Residence
Fr. David Boettner was ordained in May 1994. He has served as Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga, Associate Pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral, Pastor of St. Mary Church in Athens, and most recently as Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle in Lenoir City. Currently he is assigned to the Chancery as Moderator of the Curia and is in residence at Sacred Heart. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from St. Meinrad and a Master of Divinity degree from St. Mary of the Lake.

Reverend Manuel Perez (Father Manuel)
Fr. Manuel Perez was ordained by Bishop Joseph Kurtz, DD, in his native Mexico on May 28, 2005. His first priestly assignment was at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Chattanooga. Effective November 24, 2008, Diocesan Administrator Fr. Al Humbrecht appointed Fr. Perez as Associate Pastor of the Cathedral. He holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from a seminary in Leon, Mexico, and a Master’s Degree in Divinity from Mundelein Seminary.

Reverend Mr. James Lawson (Deacon Jim)
Deacon Jim was ordained in New York in May 1982. He served in this ministry at West Point, New York; Federal Republic of Germany, Ft. Monroe in Norfolk, Virginia; Ft. Bliss, Texas, and Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, before leaving the Army. He came to Knoxville in 1992 and in 1995 was assigned by Bishop O’Connell to Sacred Heart Cathedral as parish deacon. In 1997 he was assigned as pastoral associate. Deacon Jim also serves as the only Catholic in the Knoxville Police Department and Knox County Sheriff’s Office Chaplains Corps.

Reverend Ben Johnston (Deacon Ben)
Deacon Ben was ordained on June 9, 2007.  He is a physical therapist by profession and holds a B.S. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a M.S. degree from The University of Tennessee.  He is especially active in the Haiti Outreach Program.

Reverend David Lucheon (Deacon David)
Deacon David was ordained on June 9, 2007.  He is a graduate of Lewis University and the University of Illinois and is currently Finance Officer for the Diocese.  His special area of interest is Adult Faith Formation.

Reverend Joe Stackhouse (Deacon Joe)
Deacon Joe was ordained on June 9, 2007.  Previously a hospital administrator, he currently teaches at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) and does ethics consulting on a private basis for various healthcare organizations and law firms.  He holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and a Doctorate in Philosophy with concentration in moral theory and biomedical ethics from UTK.  He is especially interested in Spanish Community ministry.