Musings of a Catholic Convert

I’m posting an article from the February 10, 2008 East Tennessee Catholic about Bishop-Designate James Vann Johnston because I am excited he is coming closer to my neck of the woods.  Then Father Vann Johnson was one of two priests in Knoxville who took time out of their super hectic schedules to speak with me regarding the Catholic Faith.  Bishop-designate Johnston and his ministry are special to me.  He’s a good man and I know the people of his new diocese are going to love him. 

Future bishop’s new diocese ‘in many ways’ like his native one

Bishop-designate James Vann Johnston’s new diocese in Missouri is larger than his native one of Knoxville by some 10,000 square miles, although the number of Catholics—as in East Tennessee—represents a small percentage of the population.

The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau was founded in 1956, and its 25,719 square miles include the 39 counties of southern Missouri. Sixty-six parishes and 19 missions serve 66,000 Catholics in an area that has about 1 million people overall. The diocese has 22 elementary and three high schools. Retiring Bishop John J. Leibrecht, 77, is the diocese’s longest-serving ordinary.

More than 40 active diocesan priests serve with fellow clergy from several religious communities.

“I think I’ll fit in pretty well,” said Bishop-designate Johnston. “In many ways it’s a lot like the Diocese of Knoxville. The Catholic Church there is strong and has been there a while, but it’s still a distinct minority.

“Many of the parishes are small- to medium-sized and in areas where they may be the only Catholic church for miles. Many of the priests there have to serve several parishes or missions, so I’m familiar with what the priests’ situation is because it sounds very similar to the church I’ve grown up in.”

The diocese’s seven seminarians include two transitional deacons. “That’ll be one of my happier tasks this summer: ordaining two priests,” said Bishop-designate Johnston.

The Springfield–Cape Girardeau Diocese includes most of the Mark Twain National Forest. “It’s a beautiful area, and I’m glad it’s pretty,” said Bishop-designate Johnston. “I’ll be going back and forth through there a lot.”

Much of the Catholic population in Springfield–Cape Girardeau is in the two see cities. Entertainment mecca Branson lies just south of Springfield. The city of Springfield, with about 150,000 residents, is the third largest in Missouri and by far the biggest in the diocese. Joplin, on the Kansas border near Oklahoma, is another principal city.

Diocesan offices are at the Catholic Center in Springfield, next to St. Agnes Cathedral. The bishop’s residence is an older home, “a beautiful two-story house” in Springfield, said its future occupant.

The diocese has a second cathedral, St. Mary, in Cape Girardeau, a Mississippi River town about three counties above Tennessee’s northwest corner and some 270 miles from Springfield. The cathedral rectory includes an apartment for the bishop.

The Catholic Center was the former home of Springfield Catholic High School before it moved.

“The bishop told me not to be surprised if in the middle of the day I hear somebody shooting baskets down the hall in the gym,” said Bishop-designate Johnston.

The bishop-designate met with Catholic Center staffers following a press conference announcing his appointment Jan. 24.

“I was very impressed with the priests,” said Bishop-designate Johnston, “but also I had a chance to meet our Chancery staff, and they look to be a wonderful group of people. I’m looking forward to working with them.”

Two future cardinals first became bishops for Springfield–Cape Girardeau: Cardinal Bernard F. Law and Cardinal William W. Baum.

Bishop-designate Johnston said one of his only two previous trips to Missouri involved Cardinals—a stop in St. Louis to see the baseball team of that name. He also was present for Pope John Paul II’s 1999 visit to St. Louis.

Here’s another article about his appointment.  Hooray for awesome Priests and Bishops!