embassy, and interviews with a dozen lay Catholics and diocesan priests - six priests spoke to NCR on the condition of anonymity for fear of being retaliated against by their bishop - present a less sanguine situation in the Diocese of Knoxville. 'I see growth, I see financial stability, I see vocations, and I see happiness,' Stika said.īut court documents, two letters sent to the Vatican's U.S. In an interview with NCR, Stika defended his 14-year record as the bishop of the Knoxville Diocese, which he said because of his leadership has grown to more than 75,000 Catholics, has established a half-dozen new parishes, has 13 seminarians preparing for the priesthood, with four being ordained this year, and that this year for the first time has raised more than $3 million in its annual bishop's appeal. 'The bishop's enablers injected themselves and took over issues they were unqualified for,' Meldahl said. Meldahl told NCR she left her job amid her concerns that the diocese refused to make improvements to its pension financial reporting procedures, and added that she was being frozen out of meetings toward the end of her tenure. A leader looks after his people,' said Marcy Meldahl, a Knoxville resident who served for 10 years as the diocese's human resources director until she resigned in 2014. An apostolic visitation is investigating concerns about Stika's leadership raised by laity and clergy. In two lawsuits, the diocese is accused of allegedly obstructing investigations into clergy sex abuse and intimidating people who reported they were abused. Vance and other local Catholics blame Bishop Richard Stika, who became the diocese's third bishop in 2009, for the turmoil in their local church. 'We are just really a hot mess,' said Susan Vance, a leader of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests in Tennessee. Groups of lay Catholics in the East Tennessee area say they are demoralized and frustrated. Others are considering leaving the priesthood. Some priests in the Diocese of Knoxville have retired early or left active ministry.

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