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

Associated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pope Francis has appointed Reverend James Mark Beckman as Bishop of Knoxville, Tennessee, almost a year after the previous bishop resigned following claims he mishandled sex abuse allegations. Bishop-elect Beckman is a priest of the Diocese of Nashville where he has served as pastor of Saint Henry parish since 2015. He replaces Bishop Richard Stika who resigned last year after several of his priests complained about his leadership and behavior, sparking a Vatican investigation. In media interviews, Stika strongly defended his actions. The Vatican announced Beckman’s appointment in its Tuesday noon bulletin. As is usual, the announcement made no mention of his predecessor.