Diocese parishioners again demonstrate generosity in supporting ministries
By Bill Brewer
The Diocese of Knoxville’s 2025 Bishop’s Appeal set a record for funds raised to support important Catholic ministries in East Tennessee, such as Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, diocesan schools, seminarians, and programs for youth and young adults.
The appeal ran from March 2025 through this past February, and Deacon Hicks Armor, director of Stewardship and Strategic Planning for the diocese, pointed to a number of factors for the annual fundraising effort’s success.
He cited Bishop Mark Beckman, who has been visiting parishes throughout the diocese and connecting with parishioners. He also credited priests and pastors for their support of the diocese’s ministries that are critical to the spiritual nourishment of communities in East Tennessee.
And he praised the ministries that are funded through the Bishop’s Appeal for their tireless work with the residents of East Tennessee, whether they are patients of the mobile Legacy Clinic, clients of Catholic Charities, students of diocesan schools, or seminarians in formation to be the diocese’s next priests.
Sister Gianna Marie Savidge, RSM, who serves as medical director of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, prepares to treat patients at the clinic site at St. Mary Church in Athens on March 19. (Photo Bill Brewer)
The six key ministries are clergy formation, which is seminarians; Catholic formation, which is OCIA and religious education for young people; youth and young-adult programming; Catholic Charities; diocesan schools; and the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.
“This is the third year that we had a goal of $3 million. Three years ago, in 2023, we were about $93,000 short of our goal. We did about $2.9 million. In 2024, we had another goal of $3 million, and we exceeded it by a little over $8,000,” Deacon Armor said.
“In 2025, it was the third year we’ve had our goal of $3 million, and we exceeded that goal by more than 7 percent (or more than $200,000). We brought in $3.221 million. It was one of the biggest surpluses that we’ve had. We have constantly raised our goal. So, to even make our goal is a challenge,” he added.
The generosity of parishioners throughout the diocese continues to impress Bishop Beckman and the Office of Stewardship and Strategic Planning.
“Last year was one of the best years we’ve had. I think part of it is that Bishop Beckman is very personable, very gregarious. He is very down to earth. He is very engaging. He relates well to people. And his favorite word is gratitude. He is always thanking people,” Deacon Armor said. “That has made a huge difference.”
The deacon said when the Stewardship and Strategic Planning staff began looking at goals for 2026, the decision was made to raise the goal to $3.25 million.
“We almost did that much last year even though our goal was less,” he noted.
He pointed out that typically 60 percent of the annual goal is through pledges, and the funds received and pledged early in the campaign usually are a good indicator of how successful the campaign will be.
“When we look at the end of May after three months, we have found that we have a really good idea of what we’re going to get that year. We come within 1 or 2 percent of being able to estimate the year based on the first three months of receipts,” he said. “Our committed number already is $3,233,000, so we are only $17,000 away from our goal between receipts and pledges. And we typically receive a lot more money than that. Even though we raised the goal to $3.25 million, we are further down the road through April than we have ever been since I have been here.”
In addition to Bishop Beckman, the diocese’s priests are paramount to the appeal’s success.
Bishop Mark Beckman enjoys classroom time with students at St. Joseph School in Knoxville on Jan. 30 during Catholic Schools Week. (Photo Bee Goodman)
“I have to give the priests and pastors great credit. While we provide the materials, they are the ones who communicate what the Bishop’s Appeal is and what it does,” Deacon Armor said. “The bishop is a big part of it, but there is no way he can go to 52 parishes in the month of January where he can talk about what the appeal is. He is a big part of it, and that is his ministry throughout the year.”
The Office of Stewardship and Strategic Planning finds that while videos, audio recordings, social media, and other communications tools have been used to get the Bishop’s Appeal message out, the most effective tool is the priests themselves.
Also, stewardship is much more than money. It’s time, talent, and treasure, according to Deacon Armor.
“The relationship a pastor has with his parishioners drives the whole relationship. For the last five years, there is a philosophy that we have tried to adopt called the spirituality of stewardship,” he said. “If we reduce stewardship to simply money, I don’t think we’re doing God’s work.”
“People are going to give what they want to give. If you give them the reason to give, that is when they open their hearts first. Our campaign focuses on our ministries,” he added.
The Office of Stewardship and Strategic Planning has a full and very detailed calendar of Bishop’s Appeal activities that go on throughout the year. Highlighting the activities are monthly themes to increase awareness of diocesan ministries.
For example, January and February are when the communications campaign launches. Then, beginning in March, the ministries are emphasized. In 2026 so far, the March theme was gratitude, the April theme was Christian faith formation, and the May theme is the permanent diaconate. Seminarians, the mobile medical clinic, youth and young adult ministry, college campus ministry, Catholic schools, marriage and family life, and Advent/end-of-year giving also are upcoming monthly featured themes.
“Every month we talk about a different ministry. … We only do one ask and one follow-up and that’s it. The rest of the year we call it nourishment. We are reinforcing the ministries that we promote,” Deacon Armor said.
“So, when you look at the reasons for our success, I think it’s the priests talking to their flocks; I think it’s not asking for money; and I think it’s reinforcing what our ministries are,” he said, noting that his office puts together an impact report each year detailing how the ministries benefit from the Bishop’s Appeal.
“We try to educate parishioners on where Stewardship facilitates services to, not just the money. Jesus says, ‘I want your heart.’ I think when you appeal to a person’s heart, that is when their generosity opens up; when they understand and put together that their status in life is a gift from God, and part of our obligation is to thank God for the gifts He gives us.
“How we do that is by serving, in many cases, the less fortunate or in how we educate our young on their faith or how we educate people to be ministers,” the deacon shared. “It’s a return to God of the gifts He gives us.”
Additional information on the Bishop’s Appeal and its impact on ministries is quantified in the annual Stewardship report available in print and online.
“The diocese is making a difference, and that is important,” he said. “We can’t solve all the world’s problems, but I do feel like through our ministries we are making a difference in people’s lives. And that’s the important thing.”
More than 6,300 households participated in last year’s Bishop’s Appeal. For more information on the Bishop’s Appeal for Ministries and the impact it makes, visit dioknox.org/appeal.