Bishop Stika meets with CCETN staff, tours fire-damaged headquarters

Bishop Richard F. Stika got his first look inside the heavily damaged Catholic Charities of East Tennessee headquarters in Knoxville on Wednesday and spent time before that visiting with CCETN staff and volunteers who are still coping in the aftermath of a fire there Sunday night. 

Investigators have determined that the fire was intentionally set, and a criminal investigation is underway. 

“The damage is significant. This is not just a building, it’s a symbol of hope,” Bishop Stika said. “It’s the social outreach of the diocese, and it provides care and hope for people. Our clients are people that are in need, and it’s just so sad to see the destruction, and it’s sad to think that someone would do this intentionally.”

The building, at 119 Dameron Ave., housed the main offices of Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and served as the home of the Knoxville Pregnancy Help Center, which provides classroom training and material assistance to young families in need. 

The building was home to about ten full-time staff members, dozens of volunteers, and served more than 100 clients. 

Fire and insurance investigators concluded their work on Wednesday. The building was insured, and discussions will begin soon on how it will be replaced or rebuilt. In the meantime, CCETN has moved its business operations to a temporary location. Security has been increased. 

“A great concern that I have is for the staff,” Bishop Stika said. “The clients will continue to be served. It might be a little inconvenient, but I am concerned for the staff because they feel vulnerable. That’s not a great feeling.

“We just take it one day at a time. We can’t guess why this happened or why somebody would do this. But we believe in the work and the outreach, and we believe in our clients. So, we will take extra care dealing with the staff and the volunteers. We will provide counseling if they want it. Whatever they need. We will move forward.”

Read this update from Catholic Charities of East Tennessee.
Read more from the Catholic News Service here.