Bishop Stika presides as diocesan priest becomes 24th pastor to lead Tri-Cities parish and school By Bill Brewer St. Mary Parish in Johnson City has a new pastor. And it’s the same priest who has been leading the parish since July 1, 2019. Bishop Richard F. Stika installed Father Dustin Collins as St. Mary’s newest pastor on Jan. 17 during a Sunday Mass. Father Collins becomes the 24th pastor of St. Mary since the parish’s founding in 1906. Father Collins was the 40th priest ordained for the Diocese of Knoxville in June 2012, and since then he has served as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa and St. Mary Parish in Oak Ridge. In 2019, Bishop Stika named him parochial administrator for St. Mary-Johnson City for an introductory period. “Today is very historic as I formally install Father Dustin Collins as pastor. Even though he... Read more →
