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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville has sadly announced the passing of its former bishop, Richard F. Stika, who served as the diocese’s longest-tenured bishop until his resignation earlier this year. Stika was 68 years old at the time of his death.
Appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, Stika became the third bishop of Knoxville, serving until his retirement in June 2023. The diocese has expressed its sorrow and stated that details regarding funeral and memorial services will be shared as they become available.
In his retirement announcement, Stika revealed he had been grappling with significant health challenges throughout much of his adult life. Notably, he recounted a near-fatal diabetic coma in 2009, which resulted in the loss of vision in one eye, and he also survived a heart attack.
Stika’s resignation came amid controversy, as he faced allegations of mishandling reports of sexual abuse, leading to a Vatican investigation and intensified calls for his resignation by advocates for child sex abuse victims. Stika consistently denied claims of covering up abuse and expressed a desire to continue his ministry near his hometown of St. Louis.