The Diocese of Knoxville () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Tennessee. It was founded on May 27, 1988 from the eastern counties of the Diocese of Nashville. This diocese covers most of East Tennessee; in addition to the see city of Knoxville, it includes Chattanooga and Johnson City. The Mother Church is the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, located on Northshore Drive in Knoxville. The two oldest churches are Saints Peter and Paul Basilica Parish of Chattanooga and Church of the Immaculate Conception Parish of Knoxville, both founded in 1852. , there were an estimated 70,000 Catholics within the diocese, which covers approximately . The percentage of Catholic adherents within the diocese's borders constitutes the lowest among American dioceses. The Diocese of Knoxville is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Louisville. Demographics With a population of 70,000 Catholics, the diocese makes up about 2.8% percent of East Tennessee's total population. The diocese is currently home to 50 parishes and one mission. These parishes are served by 65 diocesan priests, 15 religious priests, 8 extern priests, 77 deacons, 9 brothers, and 45 sisters. Eleven Religious Institutes are represented in the diocese. Perpetual adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is available at many of the parishes and Masses are celebrated in a wide array of languages. This is chosen so that the spiritual needs of all parishioners are met. These languages include English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, American Sign Language, Polish, and Latin. With the influx of large numbers of Hispanic Catholics looking for work, the diocese faces many new challenges. If the estimates are correct and there are about 50,000 new Hispanic immigrants in the area, their number nearly doubles the area's current official Catholic population. The clergy and laity of the diocese are working to welcome these new neighbors. History While the Catholic Church has been a part of life in East Tennessee for over 166 years, the Diocese of Knoxville was founded in 1988. Before the creation, the area was part of the Diocese of Nashville. Because of his role in the creation of the Diocese, Nashville's Bishop James Daniel Niedergeses, was known as the "Grandfather of the Diocese of Knoxville" Father Patrick Ryan Father Patrick Ryan served as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Chattanooga from 1872 to 1878. He