The East Tennessee Catholic
Bishop Mark Beckman has announced appointments for key positions within the Chancery to serve the Diocese of Knoxville.
Christine Lucheon has been named diocesan financial officer, effective March 16. Mrs. Lucheon’s appointment is for a five-year term.
Mrs. Lucheon has nearly 28 years of experience in accounting and finance, including 24 years of dedicated service to the Diocese of Knoxville in a variety of roles. She also has served as finance manager for All Saints Parish in Knoxville.
She first joined the diocese in 2002 and served as the diocesan controller for eight years, overseeing financial operations and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and diocesan policies. She spent the next 15 years at two parishes while continuing to support diocesan churches with PDS software support.
Mrs. Lucheon began her career in 1987 after earning her degree in accounting and obtaining her CPA designation. She worked in the audit department with Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young) and later held accounting roles within the commercial real estate industry in the Chicago area.
She and her husband, Deacon David Lucheon, are members of All Saints Parish. Deacon Lucheon served as diocesan financial officer from July 1, 2003, until his retirement on July 1, 2014.
Deacon and Mrs. Lucheon have two children who are married, and they have five grandchildren. The Lucheons have been married for 36 years.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be entrusted with this role, and I am grateful to be able to serve our priests, parishes, and community in this way,” Mrs. Lucheon said.
Mrs. Lucheon succeeds Guy Scheiwiller, who left the diocese at the beginning of 2026. She has been serving as interim financial officer since Feb. 2.
“Christine’s deep institutional knowledge of the Diocese of Knoxville, combined with extensive experience in nonprofit and religious financial systems and strong technical expertise, uniquely qualifies her for this important position,” Bishop Beckman said.
Peggy Humphreys has been named executive secretary for Bishop Beckman, effective May 23.
Mrs. Humphreys first joined the Diocese of Knoxville in February 2008 as an administrative assistant for the offices of Justice and Peace, and Stewardship. In June 2009, she transitioned to the role of executive secretary for the Office of the Bishop, where she served with dedication until her retirement in January 2021.
“Following her retirement, Peggy courageously faced and overcame a challenging battle with breast cancer. After spending meaningful time with family and friends, she now feels called by God to return to serve in the Chancery office. We are deeply grateful for her willingness to answer this call,” Bishop Beckman said.
Mrs. Humphreys and her husband, Wes, have three grown children and have been married for 36 years. She will succeed Sister Marie de Paul Stokes, RSM, who has been serving as the interim executive secretary to Bishop Beckman.
Sister Marie de Paul will have a new assignment with the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., beginning May 23. In preparation for Sister Marie de Paul’s departure, Mrs. Humphreys has served as Sister Marie de Paul’s apprentice since Feb. 1.
Mrs. Lucheon and Mrs. Humphreys are joined by Carolyn Krings, who was named the Diocese of Knoxville’s director of Marriage and Family Life, effective Oct. 1.
The Office of Marriage and Family Life assists couples in living out their vocation of marriage. As part of the ministry, Mrs. Krings and her staff assist couples in marriage preparation, which aims to help engaged couples more fully understand the Church’s beautiful vision of marriage and equip them with the information and tools necessary to deal with the day-to-day joys and struggles of married life.
Mrs. Krings joined the diocesan staff in January 2023, providing assistance to the diocesan offices of Marriage and Family Life and Youth and Young Adults. She has a background in education, having attended the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Tech.
She and her husband, Kevin, have two children, Connor and Catelyn. They have been married for 29 years.
“Joining the Chancery office has been a great privilege for Carolyn to serve as Bishop Beckman’s ambassador to youth, young adults, and families from various cultures. Carolyn looks forward to continuing to serve in the Marriage and Family Life Office as the diocesan director while collaborating with various offices and parish groups in the community,” Deacon Sean Smith, Diocese of Knoxville chancellor, said at the time of Mrs. Krings’ appointment.