Bishop’s first discussion series wraps up; next one begins in September
By Bee Goodman
On a Tuesday evening last August, nearly 50 young adults filled a room in the Chancery, responding to an invitation to join Bishop Mark Beckman.
Some were cradle Catholics looking to understand their faith more deeply. Others were converts still finding their footing. A handful weren’t Catholic at all but curious and drawn by something they couldn’t quite name yet.
What followed was seven months of conversation, community, and encounter. Bishop Beckman’s “Mysteries of Catholicism” series, which debuted in August and ran through its final session on March 24, became something bigger than anyone anticipated.
The bishop already is planning its next chapter.
Bishop Beckman points to a book he included in one of his discussions on the “Mysteries of Catholicism.” The bishop will begin a new series in September. (Photo Bill Brewer)
“This has grown into more than just a class,” said Amanda Henderson, director of Youth, Young Adult, and Pastoral Juvenil for the Diocese of Knoxville. “They leave with more than just information. They leave with a strong foundation and a sense of belonging. This lasts. The hope is that they’ll take what they’ve experienced here and keep growing in their parish communities.”
For Bishop Beckman, leading the class was a return to a role he has always loved. Before arriving in the diocese (he celebrated his first year as bishop on July 26), he served as a teacher at St. Henry School in the Diocese of Nashville. That experience never left him.
Teaching the “Mysteries of Catholicism” series gave him a direct, personal way to connect with young adults in East Tennessee and to carry out a broader vision for the diocese.
Following a survey of the diocese last year, Bishop Beckman worked with diocesan leaders to build a strategic plan for improvement, with a particular focus on strengthening faith formation among young adults. The class became one of the clearest expressions of that plan in action.
But numbers and strategy only tell part of the story. What made Tuesday evenings feel different—and what kept the same faces coming back each week—was something harder to measure.
Many of the young adults were already familiar with each other from their home parish or time together in school, but some were new faces who soon became friends.
The class was just as much a community gathering for the young adults as a formation event.
In October, attendees surprised Bishop Beckman with a birthday celebration. When the class landed on Mardi Gras, several brought treats to share before the fasting of Ash Wednesday began. When Advent arrived in December, the class went deep into the devotion of Mary and her choice to mother the Savior.
As the liturgical calendar turned, Bishop Beckman shaped his lessons around it, letting the seasons of the Church breathe life into the content.
By the time the series ended, the group had gifted the bishop a special plaque: a small but telling sign of how much the experience had meant to them.
Ms. Henderson described the response from attendees as overwhelming. For many of them, being in the Chancery’s Monsignor Xavier Mankel Room with the bishop was unlike anything they had experienced before in the Church.
“It has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “There is something powerful about being seen and prioritized by the bishop. For many of them, it is the first time they have experienced that kind of direct investment from Church leadership, and it communicates clearly that they matter.”
Bishop Beckman believes the young adults made it easy.
“I think that they’re so engaging, and they’re so engaged,” he said. “They ask great questions. They’re willing to share and discuss and just their enthusiasm for the facts.”
The class was structured to hold space for their enthusiasm. Bishop Beckman opened each session with a lecture, then broke the group into smaller discussions, inviting reflection, questions, and the kind of honest exchange that don’t happen at Mass.
In February, St. John Neumann Parish priest Father Bo Beaty joined as a guest speaker, sharing his story of discernment: from a management role at McDonald’s to answering God’s call to the priesthood. It was the kind of testimony that put skin on everything the class had been discussing as well as offering faithful advice to an audience that often feels lost in looking for the next steps in life, whether it means growing a family or discerning religious life.
One of the things that struck Bishop Beckman most was who showed up.
“I was surprised at how many people came who already know a lot about the Catholic faith, but also how many people came who are not Catholic, who are interested in learning,” he said. “And these videos are posted online to review as well.”
Bishop Mark Beckman joins in a group photo with young adults who were taking part in the bishop’s “Mysteries of Catholicism” series of discussions at the Diocese of Knoxville Chancery. The series debuted in August 2025 and concluded in March. Bishop Beckman will begin a new series in September. (Photo Bill Brewer)
The mix of cradle Catholics, converts, and the curious shaped the texture of the room. Ms. Henderson said it reflects where young adults are right now.
“Young adults are looking for something real, something that holds up in the middle of life’s questions and uncertainties,” she said. “There is a real hunger for truth, meaning, and something that challenges them to grow.”
Bishop Beckman has taught similar material to older adult groups in parishes over the years, and he noted that the dynamic is different with younger audiences in a meaningful way.
“Young adults are also very able to connect with each other and to deepen relationships,” he said. “And I would teach this in parishes with older adults and a lot of them already have long-established friendship groups. So, they were already used to getting together and talking with each other, and so they enjoyed listening and learning new things, or reflecting on them more deeply. Here, the young adults are building a community and learning together.”
That community-building is exactly what Ms. Henderson had hoped for. She said one of the most important things the class accomplished was showing young adults they are not navigating this stage of life alone—the Church sees them, and that other young people are asking the same questions they are.
“The community supported them as they faced some of these times of transition, with honest conversations, shared experiences, and celebration,” she said. “It showed them they aren’t alone in this stage of life.”
Ms. Henderson noted that the impact of the series runs deeper than any single evening. When young adults understand not just what the Church teaches but why, the faith takes on a different weight.
“When they understand the reasons behind the faith, it becomes personal and shapes how they pray, make decisions, and approach the sacraments,” she said. “Faith becomes part of everyday life.”
Topics across the seven-month run included vocation, virtues, sacred time, prayer, the life of Christ, the sacraments, and the moral life. It was, in Ms. Henderson’s words, “sharing the whole faith,” an intentional, relationship-based approach to evangelization aimed at forming disciples, not just informing attendees.
As the series continued, Bishop Beckman pointed participants toward many thought-provoking resources to push the learning forward; he recommends two titles for those who want to go deeper after the class’ conclusion.
“A book like The Holy Longing by Ronald Rollheiser is a great introduction to the spirituality of being Catholic that is very accessible to someone who is just now kind of thinking about the faith for the first time,” Bishop Beckman said.
He also pointed to Tattoos on the Heart by Greg Boyle, a Jesuit who works with recovering gang members. “That is also a powerful narrative introduction to the power of the Gospel to convert people,” the bishop said.
Ms. Henderson’s hopes for those who attended the discussion series are straightforward.
“My hope is that they stay rooted in prayer, the sacraments, and community,” she said. “That they continue asking questions and seeking deeper understanding. And especially, that they bring this back to their parishes. That they take what they have experienced here and help build up the Church in their own communities, stepping into leadership and creating spaces for others.”
For those who don’t yet have a local community, Ms. Henderson and the diocese are encouraging young adults to step into this space as it returns this fall.
Following the “Mysteries of Catholicism” series, Bishop Beckman will once again invite young Catholics to the Chancery for courses that dive into the Gospels.
Starting Sept. 8, the “Encountering Jesus in the Gospels” courses will be held each Tuesday evening at the Chancery. Details are forthcoming.
Ms. Henderson put it simply: “Start simple and be consistent. You do not need a perfect program. You need a welcoming space and a willingness to invest in relationships. Meet them where they are, take their questions seriously, and invite them into something meaningful. The impact comes from consistency and genuine care over time.”
Though the first series has come to an end, another opportunity begins in September, once again allowing young adults to gather in a like-minded community in formation of their faith with a special opportunity to engage with Bishop Beckman, who steps in to meet them where they are.
Bishop Beckman’s “Mystery of Catholicism” talks can be viewed on the Diocese of Knoxville YouTube page.