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.

Very Reverend David Boettner, V.G. (Father David)
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 Vicar General and 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 Mr. 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 Washington State University and a physical therapy degree from Stanford University. He manages a physical rehabilitation company in Knoxville, that he and his wife own and he is part owner and manager of an international health outcomes data registry, also based in Knoxville. He is especially active in the Haiti Outreach Program.