Knoxville cathedral pastor chosen again as diocesan administrator

Published: 2007-08-23

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -- The Diocese of Knoxville's College of Consultors, meeting two days after the installation Mass for Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz in Louisville, Ky., elected as diocesan administrator the one man with experience in the role. Father Al Humbrecht, who remains pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral, will again guide the diocese until the appointment of its next bishop. He served as diocesan administrator for almost 11 months after the departure of Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell in 1999. "It is a ministry of service, and I believe very strongly that when called upon to serve that it's the Holy Spirit working, and you offer your best," said Father Humbrecht as he left the consultors' meeting Aug. 17. "The wonderful thing about serving as administrator in our diocese is that with the clergy we have, the laity we have, all the people we have in place -- everything is already running very smoothly." The Nashville native, born on the same day in 1946 as Archbishop Kurtz, was elected administrator on the day before each man celebrated his 61st birthday.

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