Many special guests attend Diocese of Knoxville’s historical liturgical celebration
By Dan McWilliams
The consecrating bishops were among a number of people taking part in the ordination Mass of Bishop Mark Beckman on July 26 at the Knoxville Convention Center.
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre served as principal consecrator of the Diocese of Knoxville’s fourth bishop, with Bishop J. Mark Spalding and Bishop James Vann Johnston Jr. as co-consecrators. Archbishop Fabre leads the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., and served as the apostolic administrator of the Knoxville Diocese after Bishop Richard F. Stika retired. Bishop Spalding is the Diocese of Nashville’s shepherd, and Bishop Johnston, a Knoxville native, heads the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.
Thirteen other bishops and two abbots concelebrated the ordination Mass, including Archbishop Emeritus Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, who served as bishop of Knoxville from 1999 to 2007.
Visiting bishops attending the Mass of ordination and installation of Bishop Mark Beckman process into the Knoxville Convention Center on July 26. Nineteen bishops, archbishops, and abbots attended the ordination along with more than 200 priests, deacons, and religious. (Photo Renee McNutt / BOPP)
Also present were Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze of Benin City, Nigeria, a friend of Diocese of Knoxville priest and Nigeria native Father Julius Abuh; Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, Ala.; Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Baker of Birmingham, Ala.; Bishop Michael G. Duca of Baton Rouge, La.; Bishop John C. Iffert of Covington, Ky.; Bishop Joel M. Konzen, SM, auxiliary bishop of Atlanta; Bishop Michael T. Martin, OFM Conv, of Charlotte, N.C.; Bishop William F. Medley of Owensboro, Ky.; Bishop Steven J. Raica of Birmingham; Bishop John E. Stowe, OFM Conv, of Lexington, Ky.; Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis; Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger of Tucson, Ariz.; Abbot Cletus D. Meagher, OSB, of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Ala., a native of Cleveland, Tenn.; and Abbot Benedict T. Neenan, OSB, of Conception Abbey and Seminary in Conception, Mo., where many Diocese of Knoxville priests have studied.
Diocese of Knoxville priests concelebrating the Mass included Father David Boettner, Father David Carter, Father Mike Cummins, Father Mike Nolan, Father Doug Owens, Father Joe Reed, and Father Mark Schuster.
Monsignor Al Humbrecht and Father Peter Iorio of the Knoxville Diocese served as assistants to Bishop Beckman during the Mass.
Monsignor Humbrecht and Fathers Boettner, Cummins, Owens, and Reed are diocesan consultors. Fathers Iorio, Nolan, and Schuster are special delegates for their deaneries. Father Carter is judicial vicar for the diocesan tribunal. Father Schuster also is the diocesan vocations director. Father Arthur Torres, associate director of vocations, also attended the ordination.
Monsignor John Paul Zenollito Pedrera represented Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, at the ordination. The monsignor is first secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C., and read the mandate from Pope Francis naming Bishop Beckman to his new role as part of the ordination Mass.
Priest friends of Bishop Beckman attending the Mass were Father Ernest Bayer, Father Dexter Brewer, Father Andrew Bulso, Father Robert Flannery, Father Eric Fowlkes, Monsignor Val Handwerker, Monsignor Mike Johnston, Father Pat Kibby, Father Joe McMahon, Father Shinto Padinjaredathu, CMI, Father Kevin Richter, Father Gladstone Stevens, and Father Jeffrey Shooner, a vicar general of the Archdiocese of Louisville. Father Fowlkes succeeded Bishop Beckman as pastor of St. Henry Parish in Nashville.
Bishop Beckman’s friend Dr. Johan van Parys, a native of Belgium who is managing director of ministries and director of liturgy and sacred arts for the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, also attended the ordination.
Deacon Tim Elliott proclaimed the Gospel as deacon of the Word at the ordination, and diocesan seminarian Deacon A.J. Houston served as deacon of the altar. Diocesan chancellor Deacon Sean Smith suggested Deacon Elliott for his role to honor his long tenure as diocesan director of deacons.
Bishop Beckman supported the selections of Deacon Elliott, Monsignor Humbrecht, and Father Iorio for their parts in the ordination.
Deacon Walt Otey, Jerry Bodie, and Jay Coatney, all from the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, were masters of ceremonies at the ordination, and Mary Corby and Maria Rios served as readers.
Jimmy and Lois Beckman, parents of Bishop Beckman, along with the new bishop’s brother Ben Beckman and sister Melissa McCawley, brought forward the gifts at the Mass.
Her Excellency Lt. Valencia Yvonne Camp, DGCHS, back center, of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, is escorted into the Mass of ordination and installation with Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and members of the Order of the Fleur de Lis. (Photo Renee McNutt / BOPP)
Her Excellency Lt. Valencia Yvonne Camp, DGCHS (Dame Grand Cross Holy Sepulchre), of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, based in Washington, D.C., attended the ordination.
The non-liturgical procession before the Mass began with Alan and Sally Sefton, Knight and Dame Commanders of the papal Order of St. Gregory the Great, and included another papal honoree, Benemerenti Medal recipient Mary Catherine Willard of Immaculate Conception Parish in Knoxville, members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and members of the Order of the Fleur de Lis.
Clergy from other faith traditions also came to the Mass. They were the Right Rev. Brian Lee Cole of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee; the Rev. George Doebler, chaplain at the University of Tennessee Medical Center; Bryan Goldberg of the Knoxville Jewish Alliance; the Rev. Brent McDougal, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Knoxville; Judith Rosenberg of the Knoxville Jewish Alliance; and Adam Whitescarver, executive director of the Chattanooga House of Prayer.
A choir of more than 85 voices lent its talents to the ordination. The adult singers taking the parts of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass along with many youths hailed from throughout the diocese, and many came from churches and schools of other faith traditions.
Glenn Kahler, director of music and liturgy for the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, served as conductor for the ordination choir and instrumentalists. Mr. Kahler conducted tryouts for the ordination choir in the weeks leading up to the event after Bishop Beckman’s appointment was announced in May.
The musicians included organist and cathedral assistant director of music Byong-Suk Moon; assistant organist and accompanist Ryan Seaver; assistant to the director and music coordinator Michelle Pokelwaldt; youth choirmaster, conductor, and music coordinator Ashton Gallagher; cathedral timpanist and percussionist Don Lordo; and guest artist Patrick Murphy, pianist and vocalist at St. Henry Parish in Nashville.
The Tennessee Wind Symphony, with musical director and conductor Dr. John Culvahouse and assistant director Dr. Wayne Dorothy, also was featured at the ordination. The symphony included more than 40 musicians playing flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, or percussion.
A one-hour prelude began the ordination ceremony and featured soloists Ashlee King, Mrs. Pokelwaldt, Esteban Salazar, Dylan Fink, Joel Brown, and Mr. Murphy. Mr. Salazar also sang the responsorial psalm during the Mass.
Special guests at the ordination also included Tennessee’s lieutenant governor and speaker of the Senate, Sen. Randy McNally, a parishioner of St. Mary in Oak Ridge; state Sen. Richard Briggs of Knoxville; Knox County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin and wife Sharon; Emily McCaul, representative for U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee; and Knoxville Police Department chief of police Paul Noel, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Butch Carleton Bryant, retired law director of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and 33 men and women KCSO deputies provided security for the ordination.
