26, 2024
‘Jesus is the reason for everything’
Bishop Mark Beckman shares stories of his youth, family, and vocation
By Gabrielle Nolan
In the 1800s, German immigrants fashioned oak high altars and made the clay bricks that stacked to form the neo-Gothic-style Sacred Heart Church in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
It was in this parish, more than 100 years later, that Bishop James Mark Beckman would come to know God through his sacraments of baptism, first Holy Communion, and confirmation.
“The atmosphere of faith being raised in that little parish was definitely handed down to me, most especially of course through my parents and grandparents,” Bishop Beckman said.
“I immediately felt, when I walked into the church, a sense of the sacred in that place. And that memory of dipping my hand in the holy water and making the sign of the cross, of genuflecting,” he continued. “There are nine statues in the high altars; the Sacred Heart of Jesus is in the high point behind the altar. But I remember being fascinated by the saints because of those statues. As a very young child, I didn’t know where the sound came from for the bells being rung, and I thought it came from the Lord’s sanctuary lamp that hung above the altar, the tabernacle candle. So, I do remember that.”
He remembers the “hushed silence” inside of the church, filled with prayerful men and women saying their rosaries, as well as the beauty of the church during the holidays.
“At Christmas, they had a very beautiful, large nativity scene that was placed in front of the altar, and poinsettias, red poinsettias, all over the high altars, and candles burning everywhere,” Bishop Beckman recounted. “I think I was a junior in high school, maybe a sophomore, I
Jesus, yesterday, today, and tomorrow Bishop-elect Mark Beckman concelebrates Mass at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, where the Diocese of Nashville, Bishop J. Mark Spalding, and fellow diocesan priests gathered on June 25 for a special Mass of farewell for the bishop-elect.
" I went to do the reading that day; I was so petrified I was shaking, I think. ... I look back now, and I think had she not really insisted, I wonder if I would have been comfortable enough to be a public speaker and then to consider ordination. An important seed of vocation was planted there, I think."
— Bishop Mark Beckman, recalling the impact of a religious Sister who was his teacher
remember I volunteered to be a lector at the Easter Vigil. And it was the first time I saw adults being baptized, and I will never forget the joy that brought me. … They got clothed in a white robe, and I was a fairly shy teenager, but I just felt like I’ve got to go congratulate them for joining our Church. So, I took the initiative and went and welcomed them to the Church.”
Bishop Beckman praised his parents, Jimmy and Lois Beckman, for being “faithful, committed Catholics.”
“We went to Mass every Sunday,” he said. “I remember praying with
and the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph extend our prayers and congratulations to Bishop James Mark Beckman and the Diocese of Knoxville on thisjoyful and blessed occasion.
The Diocese of Kansas City- St Joseph 20 W 9th St., Kansas City, MO 64105 kcsjcatholic.org
Exterior of The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Kansas City, Missouri.
them before I would go to sleep at night, and I just remember their example of just ordinary, solid, Catholic faith growing up. So, that definitely impacted me greatly.”
The Beckmans enrolled their son in Sacred Heart School, where he attended first through eighth grades.
“I would say that the pastors and the Sisters of Mercy who staffed the school also had a very positive impact on my faith, especially Father John Kirk, who is actually a native of Knoxville,” Bishop Beckman said. “He arrived when I think I was in the seventh grade and was pastor for four years. He probably was a
significant inspiration in my choosing to become a priest.”
Bishop Beckman described himself as shy during those school years, but that proved to be an opportunity for growth among his teachers.
“Our Sister who taught us in the seventh and eighth grade was Sister Laura Marie, and she said to us as a class, all of you are going to be doing readings at the school Masses. And I never said no to Sister, but I raised my hand and said, ‘Sister, I cannot do that.’ I was too afraid, you know. And she looked at me and she said, ‘Not only can you, but you will,’” he remembered with a laugh. “So, she made me do that reading at the school Mass. I went to do the reading that day; I was so petrified I was shaking, I think. Afterwards, she said, ‘That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ Of course, it really was bad for me, but I said, ‘No, Sister.’ She said, ‘OK, I’m going to put you on the schedule regularly.’… And I look back now, and I think had she not really insisted, I wonder if I would have been comfortable enough to be a public speaker and then to consider ordination. An important seed of vocation was planted there, I think.”
When it came time for confirmation in the eighth grade, Bishop Beckman was chosen as the reader for the Mass with Bishop James D. Niedergeses.
For his patron saints at confirmation, Bishop Beckman chose to call on the saints that shared his baptismal name, James and Mark.
“In those days, they encouraged us if we had saint names for baptism and we liked them, to use them for confirmation to show the bond between those sacraments of initiation. And I liked both of my names,” Bishop Beckman said.
Because Lawrenceburg was too Faith continued on page B6
GABRIELLE NOLAN
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre and Archbishop Emeritus Joseph E. Kurtz join the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Louisville in sending prayers and best wishes to the Most Reverend James Mark Beckman on his ordination as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee Ad multos annos!
By Gabrielle Nolan
JThe Beckman bunch
immy and Lois Beckman first met in the small town of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., on a blind date in 1960, where they went to the movies.
“We dated, and we just that was it. We knew we were in love and that we wanted to have a family, a big family, and get married, and we did,” Mrs. Beckman shared.
Mrs. Beckman was a registered nurse, while Mr. Beckman worked at the family business, Beckman Lumber Co.
After the couple married, they welcomed six children into their lives over the span of 20 years: sons James Mark, Bruce Anthony, Robin Gregory, and Benjamin Edward, and daughters Melissa Jean and Jennifer Paige.
Mrs. Beckman described her family with a laugh as a “big, normal, bustling, Catholic family.”
“They all had fun,” she said. “Just normal kids growing up. They were spread out (in age), but they all loved each other. Still do.”
Mrs. Beckman moved to Lawrenceburg from Cleveland, Ohio, when she was 11 years old, but Mr. Beckman was born and raised in the Lawrence County seat. Lawrence County is on the southern edge of Middle Tennessee in the Diocese of Nashville. It is west of Chattanooga and borders Alabama.
“It’s just a nice-sized town,” she said. “You just don’t have to worry so much … it feels like a good, safe place to raise a family. Our church is not huge, but it’s a beautiful German church and been here for many years. And … we have a Catholic school, so we’re blessed for that.”
Mrs. Beckman believes all of her children loved growing up in Lawrenceburg.
“They grew up as a big family unit,” she said. “It’s not that tiny, but it is a smaller town. We had plenty to
A family of faith Bishop-elect Mark Beckman and his parents, Lois and Jimmy Beckman, were the subjects of many photographs on June 25 following a farewell Mass for the future bishop of Knoxville at the Diocese of Nashville's Cathedral of the Incarnation.
do. They played sports and went to church, went to school like every other child. They all stayed here almost, except for Mark. He’s the only one that doesn’t live here of my children. So, that’s kind of amazing.”
“Growing up, we were always having a party for someone or something,” said Jennifer Vaughn, Bishop Beckman’s sister. “We spent a lot of family time together cooking out, going to the river, or on beach vacations. So many fun and happy memories of all the siblings and eventually their spouses and children. We were truly blessed to have a wonderful and happy childhood growing up!”
Mr. Beckman’s sister, June Sandrell, noted that her children grew up with the Beckman family.
“We were all close-knit, and we just loved Mark. Mark was special. He was very special; he has always been. My children just loved playing with him. My two daughters … they loved to get out, they’d play out in the woods,” Mrs. Sandrell said. “My husband (Roy) was his godfather, and he let everyone know that Mark was his godson.”
The Sacred Heart Apostolate is grateful to God for the ordination of our new Bishop! From our heart to yours, Welcome Bishop Beckman
Through the years, the Beckman family has enjoyed summer beach vacations and getaways to a mountain cabin after Christmas.
“We do a lot of family vacations. Now some of the kids go with us and their families, we combine,” Mrs. Beckman said. “We all love the beach, we went to the beach mostly. Probably after the kids got a little older, we started going to Gatlinburg the week after Christmas every year. It’s gotten a little bit overcrowded over there now. … We went to Helen, Ga., last year. But Mark’s always the one, he gets the cabin rented for us, and we all go. … He goes by hiking trails with the ones who are able go hiking with him. They like to hike out there in the mountains.”
“We go hiking, backpacking a lot, and we’ve been doing that for 20 years-plus probably,” said Bruce. “[Mark’s] got such a great memory. He can tell stories, and he remembers all the places he’s hiked at, and it’s just fun to hike with him because of that. And we usually have Mass on the edge of a bluff or something, and it’s just beautiful sitting out
there praying with him, listening to his stories.”
Mrs. Beckman commented that Bishop Beckman has “always loved nature.”
“He was in the Boy Scouts; it wasn’t his favorite thing to do because of the food. They always laughed because they said the kids cooked the food and it always had dirt, had leaves and stuff in the eggs. … He’d come home, and he was starving,” Mrs. Beckman laughed. “But he’s always loved swimming. He’s always liked hiking. He’s always liked—I don’t think he got into backpacking until he got older— overnighters. But he takes all of the kids and some of the grandkids, they go a whole lot when they can; that’s what they do. He’s just always loved nature from when he was little. I guess it’s just something he did. He wasn’t a baseball player or anything like that, but he loved sports outdoors like that, nature and hiking and swimming.”
From son and brother to Father and Bishop
Of the six children, Mark Beckman was the only one to enter religious life, becoming a priest of the Diocese of Nashville on July 13, 1990 His five siblings all married and had children, giving Mr. and Mrs. Beckman more than 20 grandchildren and over 25 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Beckman said that having a son become a priest has been a blessing to the whole family. Bishop Beckman has baptized the grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as celebrated the weddings of nieces and nephews.
“He’s just always been a blessing,” she said. “I keep thinking back to ordination day and how overwhelming that was. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like the day of this ordination because it’s so much bigFamily continued on page B10
Our ady o atima Parish ur Lady of Fatima
May the Lord, who has chosen you as his shepherd for the Diocese of Knoxville, fill you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as you faithfully serve the spiritual needs of our community, through the sacraments and teachings of the Catholic faith.
“Know that the LORD is God, he made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the flock he shepherds ” -PSALM 100: 3
With Prayers of Celebration and Congratulations
BISHOP J. MARK BECKMAN FOURTH BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF KNOXVILLE
May the Lord favor you with every grace and blessing as you begin your new ministry. Thank you for your years of service to the Diocese of Nashville. You are a true shepherd for all of God’s people.
Most Reverend J. Mark Spalding, Bishop of Nashville, Priests, Deacons, and Faithful of the Diocese of Nashville
The Beckmans: A family of faith
far away from a Catholic high school, Bishop Beckman attended Lawrence County High School, which at the time served around 1,300 students.
“My graduating class senior year had more than 300 students,” he said. “Sacred Heart Elementary School had less than 100 students first through eighth grade, so a much bigger school.”
“The thing I found very interesting was it was the first time that I was regularly around non-Catholics,” he continued. “Because most everybody that went to Sacred Heart was Catholic, most everybody in my family was Catholic, now some of my neighborhood friends were not. … So, most people were Christian but not Catholic. That was sort of a fascinating thing when I got to my first homeroom, someone asked me and they said, ‘So, you’re Catholic?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And he said, ‘Are you Christian?’ And I said, ‘Yes, Catholics are Christians.’ It was like, Coca-Cola is a soft drink, you know. So, it was good for me, I think, to have the opportunity to go to school with such a great variety of kids from other churches. … So, I really did feel an enormous respect from my peers who were not Catholic toward me as a Catholic, so that was for me a positive experience.”
‘A great place to grow up’
Bishop Beckman grew up in Lawrenceburg, which was a city of about 10,000 at the time of his childhood, living on the edge of town in a community “surrounded by forests and pastures.”
Born on Oct. 19, 1962, he is the oldest of six children, having three
Beckman family memories
Upper left: family members of all ages celebrate a birthday as Mark Beckman, sitting center, prepares to help blow out candles.
Upper right: A young Mark Beckman holds brother Ben as sisters Melissa and Jennifer lend helping hands. Lower left: mother Lois Beckman with her children, Mark, Melissa, and Jennifer on Christmas Eve in 1977.
Lower right: Mark Beckman and brother Ben attend brother Bruce Beckman's birthday.
brothers and two sisters. His parents welcomed their children over a span of two decades.
“My youngest brother is 21 years younger than I am, so we’re spread out over a generation. [Ben] was born the summer after my last year of college,” Bishop Beckman shared.
“With Ben, it’s interesting. Even though he was born after my graduation from college, and I went to Belgium to study to become a priest, he and I have been very close through the years. There was a real bond between the two of us. And both he and my brother Bruce and I, the three of us really enjoyed backpacking and hiking. So, we’ve done a lot of that together.”
“My next brother down younger than I, Bruce, is only 10 months younger than I am. And Robbie is two years younger,” he continued.
“The three of us all came along at the same time, so we were always playing together, the three of us. And my sister (Melissa) came along when I was 10, and for me that was just a delight to welcome a new sibling in the family. That whole thing about ‘the more the merrier,’ that’s how I felt as a kid growing up. Every time a new brother or sister came along after the first three of us, for me it was always a wonderful gift. And then Jennifer was about 15 years after me.”
Bishop Beckman’s mother is an only child, but his father also is one of six children, so the bishop grew up surrounded by many first cousins in addition to his siblings.
“Close to a lot of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, so big extended family down there,” he said. “They’re all mostly still living down there (in Lawrenceburg).”
Bishop Beckman said that his hometown was a “great place to grow up.”
“There were lots of kids in the neighborhood, and we had the run of the whole neighborhood,” he recalled. “So, Dad would whistle at night to have us come home for dinner. But we’d be playing in the pine woods and down by the creeks and somersaulting down the pastures. We loved being outside. Dad would play spotlight with us at night, and I remember one winter we got this big snowstorm, and Dad built this huge bonfire on the side of the road. We lived on top of a hill, so we my brothers and I, my neighbors we all sledded down the hill all evening. I remember catching lightning bugs as a kid. I just remember growing up in summertime having those wonderful endless weeks of summer to play outside wherever we wanted to play.”
The bishop preferred playing in nature rather than organized sports as a child.
“I loved water skiing, I loved swimming, and as I mentioned, I loved being outside hiking, playing in the woods, that kind of thing. So anytime I have the chance to do that sort of thing, I enjoy it very much,” he noted.
Another favorite hobby he had as a child that carries over to this day is reading novels.
“If you’d ask most people around me what my favorite thing to do was when I was a kid, it was to read novels,” Bishop Beckman shared. “When I was introduced to a novel by, I think it was my third-grade teacher, she read a novel aloud to us at the end of the day if we got all of our
work done, and the imagination of hearing a story being read aloud captured me. So, I became a very avid reader of novels, and mysteries especially. You know the whole thing, like the Hardy Boys or The Three Investigators series. I loved those, and in fact, when I was in high school, I wrote some mysteries for my friends. That was probably one of my favorite things to do.”
Bishop Beckman also loves “all forms of music,” noting that his family had eight-track tapes, a record player, and cassettes before CDs became available.
“I was a pop-music listener growing up as a kid,” he commented. “My dad loved country, so he listened to Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, so I grew up hearing him play those songs from his pickup truck. Now, I love some of those songs. When I was a kid, I liked pop music more. And I’ll tell you, I was never drawn to bluegrass until I was teaching at Father Ryan, and one of the students invited me to their home for a Friday evening. Their family had invited a group of folks together to do live bluegrass music, and when I witnessed and experienced live bluegrass music for the first time, it sent chill bumps down my spine. I love bluegrass music and the Appalachian sound. And it’s Celtic in its origins, and my dad’s side of the family is both German and Irish; my grandmother was half Irish. My Mom’s side of the family is Italian. So, yes, I like all forms of music.”
In addition to their playing outside, the Beckman siblings had their fair share of household chores, too.
“Oh, yeah, we all had our chores to Faith continued on page B7
Faith continued from page B2
do, so we all helped with when we got old enough cutting the grass. One of us (boys), since the three of us were so close in age, we would rotate through lawn-care responsibilities. We would be on the riding mower or the push mower or clipping before Weed Eaters came along. We would rotate through those outdoor responsibilities. Then we had chores in the house like doing dishes, and we would rotate doing those kinds of things, washing dishes or drying or putting them away. We made our own beds, and we were expected to help with various things like that. We had a garden, we would help with the garden, either putting it in or helping weed it, that sort of thing,” he shared.
Bishop Beckman recalled a funny memory about doing household chores.
“My mom said we were going to start helping with dishes. We told her, me and my brothers, ‘Boys don’t do dishes.’ And we went over to a friend’s house that weekend, and he and his brother were doing the dishes in their house. Mom looked at us and said, ‘It looks like boys do dishes,’” he said with a laugh.
Growing up in the 1960s and ‘70s, Bishop Beckman commented that he sensed his parents “trusted us, and they gave us a pretty, I would say, a wide latitude of freedom growing up.”
“Of course, we were on the edge of town, you know, and everybody knew what everybody was doing. All the neighbors knew who we were, so I think it was a time when things were still very safe. I never had to have a curfew because I never came home that late,” he said.
During his junior and senior years of high school, Bishop Beckman worked his first job at the family business.
“My Dad’s dad, Pawpaw, started a sawmill in Lawrence County and a pallet-making shop called Beckman Lumber Co. It’s still operating. My grandfather started it. My Dad took
The Beckmans: A family of faith
it over when we were kids, and my brother Robbie took it over, and his son, Cain, is taking it over. So, it’s now in the fourth generation,” he said.
His tasks at the lumber company included feeding lumber into the saws, stacking pallets, and stapling the pallets together.
“That was my first real job. In those days, when we were juniors
and seniors in high school, you could get a work release for the second half of the day. You had to fulfill your morning credit requirements, but you could do work-study in the afternoon. So, I worked my junior and senior years of high school for half a day at the mill during the school year and then also in the summertime. It was hard work physically. Most of it was fairly repetitive in nature, so the
challenge for me was that I would be daydreaming about things,” he recalled with a laugh.
‘Being with God being with me’
Serious considerations for the priesthood first began when Bishop Beckman was a junior in high school.
“I mentioned that Father John Kirk was the pastor; he had been since I was in the seventh or eighth grade. The thing that struck me as a kid about him was that he seemed very prayerful, very close to God, but he was also very connected to us in the community. And he really had a great outreach to the youth, so he included me as an altar server for funerals,” the bishop said. “He took us out to the state park for outdoor Masses and hikes. He took us, by way of appreciation days, to the wave pool in North Alabama, to Opryland in Nashville. His connection with us and with God was so clear to me. I think that really planted the seed in me that, you know, if I could be that close to God and that close to people, I would love to be a priest. I think that was really the seed.”
When he was a high-school junior, one of Bishop Beckman’s homework assignments was to write a career commitment paper. He decided to write about becoming a biologist.
“I humorously said later, the only thing I knew at the end of the project was that I didn’t want to be a biologist, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” Bishop Beckman recounted. “And I prayed about it one night, and I opened the Bible at random, and it was the call of Jeremiah the prophet. And I felt that God was calling me to be a priest when I read that. So, I told Father Kirk about it, told my parents about it, and went to a retreat program they had in Nashville called The Search for Vocations and heard priests talk about their ministry. … And there were other juniors and seniors in high school from throughout Middle and East Tennessee at that time who
Faith continued on page B8
Stand and be recognized Members of the Beckman family attend Mass at St. Henry Church in Nashville. The Mass was on Bishop-elect Mark Beckman's final Sunday as the pastor of St. Henry before joining the Diocese of Knoxville.
KATIE PETERSON/DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE
They do Father Mark Beckman presides at the marriage of his niece, Kylie Beckman, to Hunter Mansfield.
COURTESY OF THE BECKMAN FAMILY
were thinking about the priesthood, and many of those guys I ended up studying with at St. Ambrose in Davenport. That’s really how the seeds got planted for priesthood.”
While a senior in high school, Bishop Beckman visited seminaries and ultimately chose St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa.
“The thing that drew me to St. Ambrose was it was a small liberalarts Catholic college, so about 2,000 students at the time, and there was a seminary dorm on campus that had about 30 guys discerning their priesthood. I liked being part of a co-ed regular college experience and discerning priesthood together. That turned out, for me, to be a very healthy environment,” he pointed out.
After four years at St. Ambrose, Bishop Beckman received his bachelor’s degree in history. Then, from 1984-88 he attended the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.
“It’s the oldest continuous running Catholic university in the world,” he noted. “Archbishop Fulton Sheen at one point studied there … some famous historical figures. And many of the professors that taught there were very instrumental in the work of the Second Vatican Council. That was one of the reasons I wanted to study there.”
After receiving his master’s degree in religious studies at Louvain, Bishop Beckman delayed his priestly ordination by two years.
“I was still discerning,” he said. “I should have been, was scheduled to be, ordained to the priesthood in the summer of 1988. The one big question in my mind at the time was would I be happy living a celibate life? I had a fear that I might have loneliness. After four years in Belgium, I wanted clarity about that. I asked Bishop Niedergeses if I could do a pastoral year as a deacon at a parish.”
He served as a deacon at St. Stephen Parish in Old Hickory and also taught at Father Ryan High School in Nashville. Upon completing that year of discernment, Bishop Beckman desired more time. Bishop Niedergeses gave him permission to take another year, and he was sent to Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga to teach religion.
“It was during that year that I got clarity, that God really was calling me, and I had peace about it,” Bishop Beckman explained. “And I remember, I think it was Tuesday of Holy Week or maybe a little before that, a little before Holy Week, I called Bishop Niedergeses and said, ‘I would like to meet with you next week to talk about being ordained to the priesthood.’ And he said, ‘Come to the cathedral rectory on Friday morning, April the 13th, Good Friday, and we will talk.’ And so, I thought, now what will I have to do because I delayed for two years? I thought, what is he going to ask me to do now to be ordained? But his first response when I called him was, ‘Praise be to Jesus Christ.’ Literally, he said that, ‘Praise be to Jesus Christ.’ And then when I walked into his office on April the 13th, he said, ‘You will be ordained three months from today on Friday, July 13, and that’s when I was ordained at the cathedral in Nashville.”
Because they are from the same hometown of Lawrenceburg, Bishop Beckman shared that he has always felt a “special bond with [Bishop Niedergeses].”
“He confirmed me in the eighth grade; he accepted me in the seminary; he was my bishop throughout seminary year; he ordained me as a priest (in 1990); and he was the first bishop that I had as a priest for the first two years. I always felt very close to him in that regard,” he said, noting that he used Bishop Niedergeses’ crosier for his episcopal ordination.
Since the beginning of his priestly service to the Catholic Church, Bishop Beckman said he had “absolute peace” about the decision after receiving the clarity he needed.
“I’ve never looked back. I jumped in,” he said. “I was given a dual role year one as associate pastor at Holy Rosary and teaching at Father Ryan
The
High School. I loved teaching, so after my first year of priesthood I was full-time at the high school. In fact, after my first year they named me the associate principal for pastoral ministry. I quickly moved into pastoral administrative leadership in the school, so I taught and was a key administrator for five years. Loved working with high-school students.”
When he became a pastor in 1996 at St. Michael Parish in Cedar Hill, Bishop Beckman also was named the director of the youth office and the SEARCH high-school retreat program.
“For 13 years I continued to work, as one of my primary ministries, with high school students in SEARCH and youth leadership workshop. I would say the first 20 years of my priesthood were defined a lot by working with youth and teaching,” he said. “I loved that, still love teaching. Love teaching adults now.”
In 2002, he took a sabbatical and studied at Gonzaga University.
“Then, I was invited to become pastor of St. Matthew (in Franklin), which had about 1,100 or 1,200 households, and a new Catholic school had just started the year before. I loved that, loved going into that bigger parish. It was a thriving time, growing time in that community; really energized me, loved it, and after 13 years there I was asked to come … to St. Henry, which is twice the size of St. Matthew and the largest elementary school in the diocese (of Nashville). … Then, six or so years ago when Bishop (J. Mark) Spalding came, was asked to be the chairperson of our priest personnel board, so I’ve been helping at the diocesan level while being pastor.”
A lover of directed retreats in the style of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Bishop Beckman would describe himself as a “contemplative by nature.”
“I’m very drawn to the prayer of stillness, of simply sitting with God,” he shared. “I pray my Liturgy of the Hours. But a big chunk of my morning prayer is sitting in stillness with God, so that contemplative being with God being with me.”
During his episcopal ordination at the Knoxville Convention Center on July 26, a selected “Litany of Saints” was sung over the bishop and those in attendance.
“St. Ambrose has been an inspiration for me since I went to St. Ambrose in college and learned about his life as a bishop,” he said, explaining his choices for the litany. “Thérèse of Lisieux, I loved her Story of a Soul. When she said when she got to heaven she wanted to pray for
priests, especially troubled priests, so when I am troubled about something I will turn to her. Love St. Francis of Assisi, but he’s already included in the regular litany, and then definitely the popes that have shaped the 20th century. John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II have been inspirations to me in my priesthood.”
For his episcopal motto, Bishop Beckman chose “Jesus Christ Yesterday Today and Forever,” which derives from Hebrews 13:8.
“That was the first thing that really came clearly to me, and the guy who designs the crest said, ‘That’s probably too long.’ I was in a bit of turmoil about it and tried to think of some alternatives. I have a good friend that I went to seminary with who is really good with that sort of thing, so I sent him a list of things I was considering, and that was on the list, and I put in parentheses, ‘They told me that this one was probably too long.’ He e-mailed back and he said, ‘I think this is the strongest of them,’” Bishop Beckman shared.
“The first time I remember [the verse] being sung was at Holy Thursday Mass when I was pastor at St. Matthew, and it was while we were carrying the Eucharist out of the church at the end of Mass in solemn procession. I remember chills going down my spine and thinking, yes, we’re carrying Christ in the eucharistic procession, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So, I introduced that Taizé chant at St. Henry, and we sang it again this Holy Thursday, equally moving to me. And the memory of that chant and the melody of it and the words came back to me as I was praying with what should my motto be.
“I thought, Jesus, it’s all about You. Everything is about You. That’s why I’m a priest, that’s why we’re Christians, and that’s why I want to be a bishop. For me, Jesus is the reason for everything. So, what else could I pick?” he said with a laugh.
As he enters into a new stage of life and service as the fourth shepherd of the Diocese of Knoxville, Bishop Beckman will reside at yet another Sacred Heart Parish; this time, a cathedral: the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“There’s a bond there,” he said. “Going from a church that was Sacred Heart where I was baptized to one where I’ll be … bishop.”
Bishop Beckman mentioned that he is passionate about sharing two things in his new role.
“I am profoundly and deeply convinced that God loves every single one of us with an unconditional love.
And I’m convinced that that is why He became human and died and rose from the dead for us. My passion is that every single person in the world would be able to know that,” he said. “Pope Francis wrote that document The Joy of the Gospel, but for me that is the heart of what we do as priests. We are witnesses in the lives of our people of the profound work of God in our lives, and we assist them in that sacramentally. Preaching the Gospel for me is … a joy and a delight. And for me the proclamation of the Gospel is awakening people to what God is doing in their lives. And so, for me, being a man of prayer, taking time to be alone with the Lord each day, doing my annual retreat and spending that sacred time with the Lord, that’s where I am reminded of who God is. And that gives me the vision, the gifts, and the grace that I need to help others to find that. So that’s been very important.”
“The second thing that’s been very important to me is a deep awareness about all human beings who are all wounded in some way,” he continued. “This is a fallen world, and because of the wounds of sin, every one of us needs the healing of the Lord. For me, being a healer is a very important part of what we as priests and bishops do. I feel very called to be present when people need pastoral counseling, spiritual direction, profound moments when they’ve lost a loved one, they’re approaching the hour of death. To me those are privileged moments that God is inviting us in to be a healer and to be a reminder of His presence in our lives. That gives me a great deal of passion.”
On a practical level, Bishop Beckman said the move from Nashville to Knoxville was “enormously challenging.”
“I’ve never moved this distance in my life since my 20s, so big move,” he said. “It’s a whole new life in a whole new city for me. And so, all the details of finishing up as a pastor of a very large parish, saying goodbye to people, and to prepare to move and to get ready for Knoxville. I’ve been on many Zoom calls; I’ve been copied on many e-mails; I’ve been on the phone with the secretary in Knoxville, so there are a million things to learn about, much information already that I’m trying to absorb, so that’s part of the process, just the sheer volume of preparing to try to hit the ground running. That’s been a big part of it.”
Bishop Beckman shared a poignant moment of his emotional journey after receiving the call to become a bishop.
“The day after I got the call to become a bishop, in the morning as I began to pray, I began to weep. I was thinking about saying goodbye to the people that I love here. Very hard,” he shared. “And it so happened that while I was praying, when I finished prayer, the archbishop called, Archbishop [Shelton J.] Fabre from Louisville. And he said, ‘How are you doing?’ And I told him, ‘I’m weeping.’ And he said, reconstructing from memory, something like, ‘I’m glad to hear that; you have to say goodbye well if you want to say hello well.’ That’s been very important to me to say goodbye well [in Nashville].”
“When you are a priest, and when you’re human, you connect with people; they matter in your life. And so, saying goodbye and transitioning, it brings a whole set of emotions of grief and sadness. I feel all of that while at the same time feeling the joy and excitement about going to a new place,” he noted.
“And one of the great things that gave me peace was when I arrived in Knoxville and began to see all of your faces and the joy on your faces that I had said yes. So, it really is the people, the diocese, when I arrived and the warm welcome I received so far and the happiness on the part of so many people, that has made me simultaneously joyful and excited about going to Knoxville and being bishop there. So, sadness, fear, and anxiety at times, but a great deal of hope and joy and excitement,” the bishop concluded. ■
Beckmans: A family of faith
COURTESY OF THE BECKMAN FAMILY
Bishop and bishop-to-be Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, left center, and Bishop J. Mark Spalding, right center, are joined by, from left, parents Jimmy and Lois Beckman, brother Bruce Beckman, and sister Melissa Beckman McCawley.
Father Beckman the proud uncle Father Mark Beckman presides at the sacrament of baptism for his sister Jennifer's baby.
GABRIELLE NOLAN
on the Ordination and Installation of your son as the 4 th Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville.
Life is a precious gift from God, and we are so grateful to you for partnering with the Holy Plan of God to bring our Bishop into this world.
Tennessee Right to Life and its 14 chapters join the Diocese of Knoxville in congratulating Bishop Mark Beckman, and we welcome you to East Tennessee. We are glad that you were born!
Knox County
Shelby County
Lawrence County
Haywood/Crockett Counties
Humphreys County
Cheatham County
Obion County
Dickson County
Bedford County
Rutherford County Wilson County
Greater Chattanooga Chapter
Sevier County Tri-Cities
ger to be a bishop. It was so beautiful when he was ordained a priest. We were all very proud of him, grateful that he was a priest. So, just couldn’t be any happier about it.”
Mrs. Beckman said she and her husband, who are both cradle Catholics, were “overwhelmed” when they heard the news that their son was being named a bishop.
“He kept it a secret until he came home to tell us,” Mr. Beckman said. “I kind of had the feeling he was going to be a bishop years ago. I really did. For some reason, I don’t know why, but I did. I kind of knew it was coming, but I didn’t know when or what time.”
Mrs. Beckman agreed, saying, “I felt like it, but you never know if you’re being prejudiced. You know how that goes with your own kids. But he’s just special, I think. I think people see that in him besides me. He just loves what he does, there’s no doubt about it. He loves families, children, he loves the priesthood, for sure he loves the Lord, so you couldn’t ask for more than that.”
Bishop Beckman’s siblings were surprised by the news.
“When Mark told me he had been appointed bishop of the Knoxville Diocese I was a little shocked,” said his brother, Robin (Robbie). “I actually have always thought that one day he might be the pope, but lately my mind had shifted to him retiring and slowing down a bit.”
“I was surprised by the news, not because the thought had not crossed my mind before; I just was not expecting it at this time,” Jennifer said.
Leaning into it
The parents first had an insight into Mark’s vocation when he was in high school.
“He always kind of leaned toward it, I think,” Mrs. Beckman said. “When he was in high school was when he really made up his mind. He just always seemed like he leaned that way to me. But then in high school he talked to Fa-
The Beckmans: A family of faith
(John) Kirk and made his decision to go to seminary when he graduated from high school.”
“In the early ’70s [Father Kirk] was at Sacred Heart, Lawrenceburg, and he was real involved with the youth,” Bishop Beckman’s brother, Bruce, said. “Mark liked him, and he was a good leader for Mark and kind of probably set him off on that path, I would think.”
Mrs. Beckman said the Catholic
faith has always “been the basis of our lives.”
“Faith, God, going to Mass; we instilled that you don’t go anywhere else, you go to Mass first,” she said. “I don’t know what more I could say; I love my faith above all things.”
Bruce shared that his older brother was “a shining example of doing it the right way, living right.”
“I can remember one time. … We were at a major intersection, and I
threw out some trash because there was a little pile of trash,” Bruce said. “And [Mark] stopped, and it was a green light. This was a major intersection, and he said, ‘Get out and pick that up.’ And I said, ‘Not right here.’ So, he got out, walked around, and picked it up. Just the example I learned from him of the right way to live. He was always a good source of knowledge for homework and about the faith, and just a good example.”
“If you can picture what your mind would see Jesus like, that’s what we lived with. He’s the closest thing to Jesus that I’ve ever experienced,” Bishop Beckman’s sister, Melissa McCawley, said.
Jennifer commented that although Bishop Beckman is quite a bit older than she is, she remembers “good and fun years of him when I was young. He would come home from college to visit and loved to play board games and go to the park. He was always ready for whatever adventure I wanted to go on.”
Jennifer continued to describe her older brother as “a kind-hearted, gentle, and loving soul. He is very people- and family-oriented. He has an unwavering faith and love for God that is evident through so many lives that he has touched.”
As Bishop Beckman enters this new chapter of service to the Diocese of Knoxville and the greater Catholic Church, his siblings have a little bit of advice for their brother.
“I want to tell him that God specifically chose him to be Knoxville’s new leader for a reason and that I believe he is going to do amazing things,” Jennifer said. “I truly believe that God orders each one of our steps and that He has placed Father Mark right where He wants him to be at this time in his life.”
“My advice to Mark as he begins this new chapter of his life would be to continue walking this earth in the way that he always has...in a Jesuslike way, leaving everyone that he meets full of happiness and with a smile on their face,” Robbie said. ■
ther
Family togetherness Above: Lois and Jimmy Beckman enjoy a sunny afternoon at their family home in Lawrenceburg. Below: The Beckman family attends Mass at the Cathedral of the Incarnation on June 25 in Nashville, where the Diocese of Nashville bid their son, Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, farewell.
KATIE PETERSON/DIOCESE OF NASHVILLE
GABRIELLE NOLAN
St. Henry bids Fr. Beckman an emotional farewell
By Jim Wogan
The parish community of St. Henry in Nashville gave its soon-to-be-a-bishop pastor an emotional and heartfelt farewell on June 30 at two Masses and receptions to honor his nine years of dutiful leadership there.
“As I was walking up the aisle this morning, my memory of my first Mass at St. Henry came back, not when I was pastor, but when I was a high-school student. I came up to Nashville for the ordination of a priest when we were in the old church, back in the 1970s,” thenFather Mark Beckman said as he opened the 9 a.m. Mass that day.
“I thought, wow, that has been a while ago, but these nine years have flown by very quickly for me as your pastor. I am deeply grateful for every one of you. The word Eucharist means thanksgiving, so today we gather to give praise and thanks to God for the gift of His Son,” the bishop-to-be added.
St. Henry is one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Nashville, and the pews were filled for his final two Masses. Father Beckman celebrated with the assistance of Deacon Marty Deschenes at 9 a.m. and was assisted by Deacon Mike Catalano at 11 a.m. Monsignor Mike Johnston, the former pastor of St. Henry, concelebrated the 11 a.m. Mass and admitted to having mixed feelings.
“Tough, but it was beautiful. I loved what he had to say because you heard a lot of his ecclesiology in that homily,” Monsignor Johnston said. “I had a hard time at the very end. We are going to miss him. He’s just a good, good man, and he’s a very close friend.”
During his homilies, the future bishop told parishioners about a recent visit to St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana.
“When you are called to be a bishop … the Church asks you to do a five-day canonical retreat. I went to St. Meinrad Archabbey, and I was able to spend some time in
prayer. There was a hallway that I walked up and down countless times. It had the most beautiful works of religious art, and one of them was a very large, giant, wall-
sized painting, and all I could see on the painting were big feet and sandals,” Bishop-elect Beckman said.
“Long about my third day, or fourth, I had been praying with the Gospel … and I was walking down the hallway and I saw those big feet and I said, they’re in sandals … it’s probably the washing of the feet. I stopped and I turned toward the painting, and I started looking at it and I thought, where are the buckets and where are the towels and who is going to do the feetwashing? I looked a little closer and I saw (near) those feet one single hand reaching out to touch a garment. I looked at it and thought, that’s odd. I have been praying all (day) with a woman reaching out to touch the garment of Jesus. And suddenly I realized, oh, this is a painting of the Gospel I have been praying with … and that’s the first time I noticed it.
“Think about how often in life we’re absorbed by details around us, but we miss what’s most important. And the most important thing of all is the encounter with Jesus. Think of the woman for a moment. Years of suffering. Some of us carry burdens for many years in life, and she reached out and touched His clothing; that’s always struck me. But Jesus didn’t want her to be healed and walk away. He turned to look at her. He wanted to see her face. He wanted her to see His face. This is a moment of profound personal encounter, and she began to tell Jesus the whole truth everything she’s experienced in her life. Probably the suffering she carried. But also, the moment of healing. And the Word of Jesus spoken to her is ... ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. You can go in peace now.’ I love how He calls her a daughter.”
Enjoying good company Above: Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, seated for his farewell reception as pastor of St. Henry Parish on June 30, enjoys a lighthearted moment with parishioners and well-wishers. Below: Bishop-elect Beckman offers a final homily after nine years as pastor of St. Henry Parish in Nashville.
JIM WOGAN (2)
Farewell continued on page B13
“This place at St. Henry, sometimes as a pastor it is easy to get lost in the details, to walk past the big feet on the wall. Not noticing. But there have been so many moments in my life here when I have seen the face of Jesus in your faces,” he added.
His homilies continued, and the future bishop explained to his parishioners the reason he chose his episcopal motto, found in Scripture (Hebrews 13:8). Profoundly and spontaneously, he recited it by breaking into song …
“Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Yesterday, today, and forever.”
Then, he asked the entire parish to join him by singing again:
“Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Yesterday, today, and forever.”
Bishop-elect Beckman then explained why he chose those words that will be used to define his episcopacy.
“Powerful, and once I heard that in my heart in my mind I said that will be my motto,” Bishop Beckman said. “So, as I go forth to Knoxville, you all are sending me, right? That’s what the word apostle means in
The Beckmans: A family of faith
Greek, to be sent. You are sending me to the Church of Knoxville, and there I will see the face of Jesus in those to whom the Lord will send me. Know that I will hold your faces forever in my heart and mind, and continue to remember to whom you belong, beloved daughters, beloved sons of God most high.”
Following both Masses, parishioners gathered to greet and take pho-
tos with the future Knoxville bishop.
“I am proud of Father Beckman. I always figured he’d be somebody’s bishop. I just wish it was bishop here in Nashville,” St. Henry parishioner John Farringer said with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. “He has meant a lot to me and my family and, of course, the parish.”
Scott and Regina Frasier traveled from St. Matthew Parish in Franklin
to attend the St. Henry farewell.
“He is a leader. He is so pure,” Mr. Frasier said. “He is such a great selection for the (Knoxville) diocese. He is one of our favorite priests that we have ever known.”
Bishop-elect Beckman was pastor of St. Matthew from 2002-15.
“One thing that stands out with Father Beckman is when he presents something, he always presents it well,” Mrs. Frasier said. “He just has a way about him, when he is giving out information it is well-received.”
Fran Myers has been with Bishopelect Beckman at both parishes.
“It has been 22 years that he has been my pastor, 13 years at St. Matthew and nine here at St. Henry,” Mrs. Myers said. “He has been a member of my family; he’s been a great friend, a super pastor. He is the most spiritual, prayerful person I have ever met, and I am going to cry talking about it.”
And she did.
“We are going to miss him, but we know the Diocese of Knoxville needs him terribly, and we just send him with our blessing,” Mrs. Myers added.
Her Excellency Valencia Yvonne Camp, DGCHS, Lieutenant Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem MiddleAtlanticLieutenancy and Sir Alan K Sefton, KCSG, KC*HS Section Representative with the Knights and Dames of the Diocese of Knoxville extend congratulations and a warm welcome to Bishop James Mark Beckman
Fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville
Farewell continued on page B14
Last communion Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, with Monsignor Mike Johnston, right, former pastor of St. Henry Parish, and Deacon Mike Catalano, gives the Eucharistic Prayer during his final Mass on June 30 as pastor of St. Henry in Nashville. Monsignor Johnston served as principal of Knoxville Catholic High School in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
JIM WOGAN
Deacon Catalano, who served with Bishop-elect Beckman at the 11 a.m. Mass, his final Mass as pastor of St. Henry, reflected on the day.
“It is bittersweet, of course. But when he told us he had something to tell us and he said that Pope Francis had appointed him to be the bishop of Knoxville, I was not surprised,” Deacon Catalano said. “He is a good shepherd. Every Mass I sit right next to him, and we’re looking at that stained image of the Good Shepherd, and that is his model. I will miss him greatly.”
The 11 a.m. Mass and reception were attended by members of the Beckman family, including Bishopelect Beckman’s parents, his sister, Melissa, and his brother, Ben.
“It was a perfect Mass to end on,” Ben Beckman said. “The last time I talked to him he was still really processing this whole transition. I know he’s very excited, and he loves being in the mountains, so there is no better place.”
Claire Hale, director of administration at St. Henry, presented Bishop-elect Beckman with a special gift from the parish and St. Henry School, a chalice engraved with a depiction of the Last Supper and his episcopal motto, “Jesus Christ Yesterday Today and Forever.”
Additionally, two juniper trees will be planted on parish grounds in honor of their former pastor.
One of the highlights of the farewell reception was a performance by singer/songwriter Tony Winkler, who reworked John Denver’s classic hit, “Country Roads,” with lyrics personalized for Bishop-elect Beckman. The session turned into a singalong and capped the special day in a uniquely Nashville way.
“The song was true, this will always be a home for me,” Bishop-elect Beckman remarked. “One of the blessings about being a priest is the further you go in life the more homes you get. That’s the blessing, to have an ever-
The Beckmans: A family of faith
“It is bittersweet, of course. But when he told us he had something to tell us and he said that Pope Francis had appointed him to be the bishop of Knoxville, I was not surprised. He is a good shepherd. Every Mass I sit right next to him, and we're looking at that stained image of the Good Shepherd, and that is his role model. I will miss him greatly ”
— Deacon
growing family. So, you all come to the mountains. You will always have a special place in my heart. There is no place that I have been as a priest
The seedlings of faith
and
that I don't still carry on the inside. Come to the mountains. I love you all; I will pray for you, and please pray for me.” ■ Holy Cross Catholic Church, Pigeon Forge
Congratulates and welcomes our new Bishop, Mark Beckman. May Our Lady, The Mother of the Good Shepherd, lead you Bishop Beckman!
The body of Christ Above: Bishop-elect Mark Beckman presents the Eucharist to parishioners at Communion in St. Henry Church on June 30. Below: Bishop-elect Beckman receives the gifts during his final Mass as pastor.
Above: Parishioners
supporters of Bishop-elect Mark Beckman presented the new bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville with two juniper trees to be planted on the St. Henry campus in his honor. Below: Bishop-elect Beckman enjoys photo moments with St. Henry parishioners.
Mike Catalano, who serves at St. Henry Church
’ Diocese of Nashville gives Bishop-elect Beckman a send-off
from the heart with Mass at the cathedral
Diocese of Knoxville welcomes its 4th ‘bishop of
By Gabrielle Nolan
The Diocese of Nashville gave a formal farewell to Bishopelect James Mark Beckman now the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville with a special Mass on June 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.
Bishop J. Mark Spalding celebrated the send-off Mass, while dozens of priests and deacons were also present to show their support for the Nashville priest who was assigned to five different parishes over the 34 years of his priesthood in the Middle Tennessee episcopate.
Bishop Spalding said he was “absolutely thrilled” when he learned of Bishop Beckman’s new episcopal appointment.
“I’ve known Father Mark Beckman all the way back to seminary, my first year in Louvain [Belgium],” Bishop Spalding said. “So, the American college in Louvain is where we studied together. I was in my first year, and he was in his fourth year of theology.”
“He is a good pastor, a good spiritual leader, and just the right priest to be appointed the bishop of Knoxville,” he said. “I can only say the brotherhood that exists among the bishops in Tennessee will be strong with him being the bishop of Knoxville.”
At the beginning of the Mass, Bishop Spalding addressed the bishop-elect.
“We come to celebrate Word and sacrament, the gift of Jesus given to us in this holy Eucharist, but in a special way, too, we send a fond farewell to Bishop-elect Beckman as he goes from here, the mother diocese of the state of Tennessee to one of her daughters, the Diocese of Knoxville,” he said. “And know we send you with our love and our prayer that your ministry that has been wonderful here, Mark, grows and prospers there. So, we come and we pray to God, asking that He send forth His Spirit that strengthens us on our ways.”
‘Bishop of the mountains’
Standing before a crowd of family members and former parishioners, the bishop-elect gave the homily.
“This evening as we gather in this cathedral church, I am reminded of the time 34 years ago this summer that I arrived in this church for my ordination as a priest. And I will
never forget that liturgy and all the faithful who would gather that night. And the words of the Gospel today from Matthew, ‘Go make disciples, baptize, teach.’ Those words of the Lord were very much on my mind. I knew that the Lord had called me to be a priest, and it took me a long time to get that clarity. Some of you all know it took me about 12 years from the time I first thought about it as a junior in high school until that day back in 1990 that Bishop [James D.] Niedergeses ordained me,” Bishop-elect Beckman said. He noted that there were a couple of moments from his ordination liturgy that have remained with him,
such as being vested with a chasuble for the first time as a priest.
“And one of the most profound moments for me also was when my brother priests all laid hands on me after Bishop [James D.] Niedergeses and welcomed me to the presbyterate by embracing me in the sign of peace. Many of those brother priests who laid hands on me that evening have now gone to the Lord, now with Him in the kingdom, but there are some here,” he continued.
Bishop-elect Beckman asked his brother priests who laid hands on him to please stand.
“And many of the younger priests, one of the most beautiful moments was when I had the op-
portunity to lay hands on you after Bishop Spalding or Choby or Kmiec or Niedergeses and to welcome you to the presbyterate. So, tonight I am very conscious that I am part of this body of brother priests, from which the Lord called me to go do something new now,” he said.
Though he had several years to discern becoming a priest, Bishopelect Beckman said the turnaround was much quicker for accepting the call to become a bishop.
“Twelve years it took me to decide, to have clarity, that God was calling me to the priesthood. I had about six hours to think about becoming a bishop when I got the telephone call,” he said to a laughing crowd. “But the part of the Gospel—all the other parts of it that we heard tonight—have been with me throughout my priesthood, but the part of the Gospel that has deepened over time has been the last thing the Lord said: ‘I am with you always.’ And the Lord has been with me always, and the Lord has showed up looking a lot like all of you tonight. Those sacred moments of the great journey of the human life, as a priest that we’re privileged to journey with you on, are the most sacred moments when I become aware that, Lord, you are right here in this encounter between this person and me, you’re right here with us, Lord.”
Bishop-elect Beckman said he was thinking about all the different communities that the Lord has sent him to, and he asked the members of the congregation to stand if they were ever affiliated with his past assignments at St. Stephen, Holy Rosary, Father Ryan High School, SEARCH, St. Michael and Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Matthew, and St. Henry.
“All of you, and so many more people who are not here tonight, who I’ve been privileged to walk with, have revealed to me the face of the Risen Lord, Jesus” he said. “I am with you always. The Lord’s promise is fulfilled over and over again.”
Bishop-elect Beckman shared that he was thinking about the moment in the future when he will be at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville.
“I grew up in Sacred Heart Parish in Lawrenceburg. That’s where the great gift of faith was handed on to
Cathedral continued on page B16
ORDER OF THE FLEUR
DE LIS
ORDER OF THE FLEUR DE LIS
The officers and members of the Order of the Fleur De Lis send greetings and felicitations to His Excellency Mark Beckman on his installation as the 4th Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. The Order continues to remain steadfast in its devotion to Holy Mother Church and our country. May our Heavenly Father continue to bless you as you shepherd the people of the Diocese of Knoxville.
The officers and members of the Order of the Fleur De Lis send greetings and felicitations to Excellency Mark Beckman on his installation as the 4th Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville. Order continues to remain steadfast in its devotion to Holy Mother Church and our country.
May our Heavenly Father continue to bless you as you shepherd the people of the Dioce Knoxville.
Most Rev. Glen Prevost Stephen Koach James McCraw Bishop of
Most Rev. Glen Prevost
Stephen Koach
James McCraw Bishop of Lake Charles Grand Chancellor Vice Grand Chancellor Grand Prelate Alabama Mississippi
Timothy Boudreaux Russell Ruh Grand Almoner Grand Scribe Louisiana Louisiana
The Knoxville Community of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites offers its congratulations and prayers for Bishop Mark Beckman.
Clergy Commanders: His Eminence Justin Cardinal Rigali; Most Reverend Shelton Fabre, Archbishop of Louisville; Most Reverend J. Mark Spalding, Bishop of Nashville; Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, Archbishop Emeritus of Louisville; Most Reverend Richard Stika, Bishop Emeritus of Knoxville
Knight Commanders residing in the Diocese of Knoxville include Rev. Dr. John Arthur Rev. Mr. Paul Nelson, Rev. Mr. Sean Smith, Rev. Mr. David Duhamel, Raleigh E. Cooper Ronnie Holmes, C. Michael Horten, Eric J. Pelton, Paul Simoneau, Victor Williams, Michael Wills.
GABRIELLE NOLAN (2)
Heavenward Bishop J. Mark Spalding of the Diocese of Nashville celebrates Mass on June 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation as Bishop-elect Mark Beckman concelebrates. The Mass served as the official send-off for Bishop-elect Beckman, who was ordained the bishop of Knoxville on July 26.
Collegial ovation Deacons in the Diocese of Nashville stand and applaud Bishop-elect Mark Beckman during a special Mass for the next bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on June 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. The Mass served as the official send-off for Bishop-elect Beckman.
me from my parents and grandparents, and my family, and the priests and, indeed, even Bishop Niedergeses’ roots there,” he said, inviting his family in attendance to stand to represent his home parish.
Bishop-elect Beckman expressed gratitude for Bishop Spalding, who advised him to go home to his parents following the April call he received informing him that he had been named bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville.
“He has been a true shepherd for me in these weeks of transition. His kindness, his calls, his messages, his very practical wisdom every step of the way,” Bishop-elect Beckman shared.
Upon returning to Lawrenceburg to visit his parents, Bishop-elect Beckman also went to the cemetery to visit the graves of his grandparents and Bishop Niedergeses.
“We went into Sacred Heart Church, and I knelt and prayed,” he said. “So, the great gift of that beginning of faith for me handed on by many people who love the Lord, I believe, is what the Lord is asking me to do in Knoxville. And I’ll tell you, some of you have already heard me tell the story. When I first got the call, I was terrified and actually inclined to say no. I told my spiritual director, ‘I think I’m going to say no.’ But I received enough peace from the Lord, and as I drove to Knoxville and I saw faces there were people waiting to greet me then the peace of the Lord began to settle upon me.”
At the end of his homily, Bishopelect Beckman spoke about how hands would be laid on him again at his episcopal ordination on July 26.
“That moment in time, as they lay hands on me, and as I prepare to say yes to a deeper call from the Lord to be an apostle, are a profound reminder of the Lord saying to me, ‘Go make disciples.’ But I will remember that the Risen Lord, who has always been with me, and every one of you will also be with me in Knoxville,” he said. “So, let’s pray for each other. Let’s pray for all the good work that all of you are doing here in this, my home diocese. This will always be home to me. And I look forward to many journeys back to Middle Tennessee. And I am looking forward to the call that the Lord has entrusted to me. I’ll just close by saying, one of the children in our school said to me, ‘Are you going to be the bishop of the mountains?’ And I thought about it a moment and I said, ‘Yes, I’m going to be the bishop of the mountains.’”
Before the Mass concluded, Bishop Spalding shared that Bishop-elect Beckman requested to use the crosier of Bishop Niedergeses, which the Nashville diocese has possession of.
“And so, Mark, in front of God and everybody in the Diocese of Nashville, I want to say this: it’s on loan,” he said, causing the crowd to erupt in laughter. “As long as you need it, it’s yours. But we get it back, OK. And I think, Mark, you told me
The Beckmans: A family of faith
“And so, Mark, in front of God and everybody in the Diocese of Nashville, I want to say this: it's on loan. As long as you need it, it's yours. But we get it back, OK. And I think, Mark, you told me that it was made from wood from Lawrence County. So, a lot of connections there. Diocese of Knoxville, you're getting a wonderful priest and bishop.”
— Bishop J. Mark Spalding, of the Diocese of Nashville, referring to the crosier Bishop Beckman will use
that it was made from wood from Lawrence County. So, a lot of connections there. Diocese of Knoxville, you’re getting a wonderful priest and bishop.”
‘A pastor for God’s people’
Following the Mass was a reception in the cathedral’s Fleming Center, where guests enjoyed food, drinks, and a receiving line with Bishop-elect Beckman.
Jon and Laura Sowa, along with their daughter, Samantha, were among the numerous families who waited in line to congratulate and take pictures with the bishop-elect.
The Sowa family attends St. Matthew Parish in Franklin, where the bishop-elect served as pastor from 2002-15.
“He made you want to be a better Catholic,” Mrs. Sowa said. “He made us want to come to church. It was the first time we looked forward to really going, we wanted to hear what came out of his mouth. Well, I personally wanted to hear what came out of his mouth. It was almost like he had been in my week with me, and he said exactly what I needed to hear. He just made us want to be more active in our parish. And he always treated you like a friend. Every time he’d see you it felt like you were one of his best friends.”
“His sermons are phenomenal,”
Mr. Sowa shared. “He has this calmness about him that just brings the Holy Spirit into the entire Mass and around him in general.”
Mr. Sowa added that the “younger generation is going to absolutely love him.”
“I think people are naturally drawn to him for his character,” he said
“I also want to add, as a college student, knowing the people at UT, the college students, I think they’re
very happy for them.”
Father Joe McMahon and Father Andrew Bulso, two friends of the bishop-elect from the priesthood, were present for the Mass.
Father McMahon first met him in the late 1980s when the bishop-to-be was a deacon at St. Stephen Parish in Old Hickory and Father McMahon was the associate pastor. Since that time, the two clergy members have developed a close friendship.
“I think we’re close friends and close priest friends, and in a sense, really, spiritual friends,” Father McMahon said. “What we love to do is we vacation well together. One of our favorite things to do is explore the national parks and hiking. That’s been an incredible gift to spend time in God’s cathedral together.”
The two priests strive for an annual trip, and together they have visited Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Crater Lake, and the Great Smoky Mountains national parks. They have also traveled to Banff, Canada.
“It’s incredible what we’ve been able to see together,” Father McMahon said.
He shared that Bishop-elect Beckman is a great friend and also deeply spiritual.
getting a really amazing person, and it’s exciting to see what he will do over there,” Samantha said. “I think he’ll really drum up a good Catholic population over there and encourage the UT college kids to be more involved, especially in the diocese and in their faith life and parishes.”
Kevin and Michelle Barber, parishioners at St. Matthew Parish, have known Bishop-elect Beckman for almost 20 years.
“Knoxville’s gain is certainly our loss, but it’s nice to know he’s just down the road a piece,” Mrs. Barber said. “We certainly loved having him at St. Matthew, and he helped us as parishioners and all our children were at St. Matthew School. He supported our schoolchildren so beautifully. The SEARCH program in the diocese, all of our kids have taken advantage of that program, and that was also wonderful.”
Mrs. Barber shared that her husband was sick for a time while the bishop-elect was at St. Matthew.
“He came and visited me when I was in the hospital some time back, but we’ve known him for quite some time and he’s truly a blessing,” Mr. Barber shared. “So, the Diocese of Knoxville is getting a blessed man. He’s kindhearted; he’s really in tune with the people; he’s going to work hard to get to know everybody and understand what the needs of the diocese are; and he’s just going to be a good shepherd. He’s very calming, and he’s just wonderful. His great spirit, good sense of humor, and so it’s going to be a great transition. We’ve got two kids in college at the University of Tennessee, so we’re all very excited that he’s going to be there as well for our kids, and obviously they were younger kids when he was the pastor at St. Matthew. They’re getting a good one, we’re
“He also has a gentle spirit and at the same time an inner strength,” Father McMahon said. “He’s just a faithful priest, and he will be a faithful bishop, too. And he really adheres to the vision of servant priesthood, and he will be a servant bishop, as well. He’ll be a leader, he’ll be a servant-leader bishop. I just have the highest regard for Mark, and I’m really grateful for our friendship and shared brotherhood in the priesthood.”
Father Bulso was in high school when he first met the bishop-elect 20 years ago.
“He was chaplain of the youth office for the diocese at that time,” Father Bulso said. “I made a retreat as a high-school junior, and he was the chaplain for that retreat, so that was my first time meeting him. And then, you know, sort of interacted with him through some youth office things over those years, and then when I really got to know him a lot better was when I was assigned to be an associate pastor at St. Henry. That was in 2017. So, that’s when we really got to know each other a lot better.”
He shared that their friendship is really a natural one because of similar interests, such as hiking and watching movies.
“When I was there as an associate pastor, we would often share dinner together and watch a TV show; we went through several series together in my three years there. And we’ve continued that since I left and became a pastor. We would meet up every once in a while and have dinner and watch a TV show or movie or something. I will miss that accessibility, being able to get together regularly for just some good fraternity, priestly fraternity,” Father Bulso said.
for
A photo before you go Left: Deacon Mike Catalano, who has served at St. Henry Church with thenFather Mark Beckman, poses with the new bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville following a farewell Mass for Bishop-elect Beckman at the Diocese of Nashville's Cathedral of the Incarnation. Above: Bishopelect Beckman poses
more photos with parishioners and well-wishers who attended his farewell Mass at the Cathedral of the Incarnation on June 25.
A farewell selfie Former parishioners of Bishop-elect Mark Beckman, Jon, Laura, and Samantha Sowa, take a farewell photo with the new bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on June 25 at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville.
GABRIELLE NOLAN (3)
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The Beckmans: A family of faith
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Another example of that priestly fraternity included dressing up for Halloween each year for St. Henry School, noted Father Bulso, who is pastor of St. Edward Parish in Nashville.
“We would dress up in costume and go over to the school and just surprise the kids and interact with them. We were Jedi Knights one year, we were cowboys one year, we were pirates one year. But I think that demonstrates a number of things. First of all, his love for the students and the school, but also his sense of humor and wanting to be a fun presence in the lives of not only the students but the parishioners and teachers as well. You kind of see how personable a person he is and easy to connect with,” he said.
“He was just a wonderful pastor to work with, very kind, always very attentive, and would listen
with an open ear,” Father Bulso said. “So, I really appreciated my time with him as my pastor and me being his associate pastor. I learned a lot about being a pastor of a parish and being a shepherd of a flock in a parish, and he’s continued to be a good confidante as I became a pastor myself back in 2020. So, I’ve called him multiple times to get advice on things.”
At the end of the evening, Bishop-elect Beckman commented that the liturgy was “so beautiful.”
“It represented so many of the facets of my ministry through the years here in the diocese,” he said. “When I got out of my car in the parking lot, there was a couple from my first parish as pastor who just happened to be in the parking lot. I had not seen them in a few years. And so, seeing faces from throughout all the years of being a pastor for God’s people and seeing those connections was
profoundly beautiful, and it also reminded me of the immense number of people that were not able to be here tonight some have gone to the Lord now, but have also been part of my life. So very moving.”
As his time as a pastor in Nashville came to an end, the bishop-elect said that he was “so deeply grateful for all the blessings that I’ve received in these years as a priest, and also very humbly, deeply grateful to the Lord for calling me to be the shepherd of another people that need a shepherd.”
“When I saw the faces of the people in the Diocese of Knoxville who welcomed me when I went there for the first visit, I could tell there was genuine gratitude and love in their hearts that I was coming, and that made me really want to be a good shepherd. So, I’m excited. Looking forward to it,” he said. ■
A Beckman family photo album Top row, left to right: A newly ordained Father Mark Beckman with parents and grandparents. Beckman boys Mark, 6, Bruce, 5, and Robbie, 4, at Easter 1969. Bishop Beckman's high-school senior photo. Second row: Bruce and Mark Beckman attend to baby brother Ben. Parents Lois and Jimmy Beckman with sons Mark and Bruce. Diocese of Nashville Bishop James D. Niedergeses presides at the ordination of Father Mark Beckman. Third row: A young Mark Beckman on a family trip to Pigeon Forge. Bruce, Mark, Lois, Robbie, and Melissa Beckman are pictured in July 1973. Fourth row: Parents Jimmy and Lois Beckman with Mark in April 1979. Lois Beckman with high-school graduate Mark in May 1980. Proud father Jimmy Beckman with 5-month old Mark. Fifth row: Mark celebrates his 11th birthday on Oct. 19, 1973. Parents Lois and Jimmy Beckman cradle Mark as he is baptized at five weeks in 1962. Eighth-grade May Crowning with Mark, Lois, and Melissa. Bottom row: Mark lies prostrate during his priestly ordination. Mark with siblings Jennifer and Ben. Mark stands with sister Melissa.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BECKMAN FAMILY
Beckman!
