Reverend Monsignor Francis Xavier Mankel
S.T.L., Pastor

Reverend Monsignor Mankel was born November 8, 1935, in Knoxville. He was ordained a priest May 27, 1961, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville by Bishop William Adrian. He served as an associate at St. John Church in Memphis, Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa, Holy Ghost in Knoxville, and Immaculate Conception in Knoxville. He was administrator at John XVIII and pastor of Sacred Heart in Lawrenceburg, St. John Neumann and Sacred Heart Cathedral. He served as principal of Knoxville Catholic High School from 1967 to 1979, and as Vicar General of the Diocese of Knoxville from its founding until the transfer of Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell and presently to Bishop Joseph Kurtz. He also served as the diocesean chancellor until the appointment of Father Vann Johnston to that post in 1996. He was superintendent of schools from 1989 to 1992. Bishop Anthony J. O’Connell named him as the pastor of Holy Ghost effective August 4, 1997. On October 26, 2006 Bishop Joseph Kurtz announced that Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI had blessed the Diocese of Knoxville by honoring Father Mankel with Papal Honors. Prelates of Honor to His Holiness and are entitled to use the honorary ecclesiastical title “Reverend Monsignor.” The title of “Monsignor” is a title of distinction given by the Pope to certain priests in the Roman Catholic Church as part of a papal honor recognizing the priest’s service to the Church. The Prelate of Honor to His Holiness has been historically associated with the chamberlain of the papal court and today can also be conferred to priests outside of the papal court. Priests who are given papal honors and thus named monsignors are considered to be members of the papal household and thus are listed in the Annuario Pontificio (the papal yearbook).

Fr. Brent Shelton
Associate Pastor

Graduated from Conception Seminary College - 1996. Graduated from Saint Meinrad School of Theology (M.A. Theology, M.Div.) - 2001. Ordained to order of Deacons - 2000. Ordained to order of Presbyters - 2001. Assigned to Saint Mary Church, Johnson City - 2001-2002. Assigned to All Saints Church, Knoxville - 2002-2004. Assigned to Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - 2004-2005. Assigned to Holy Ghost Church - 2005-Present.