Knight: Bishop John Stephen

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Bishop John Knight (CCCB website photo)

Bishop John Stephen Knight

1967:  Ordained

priest Diocese of St. Catharine`s Ontario

1992: consecrated bishop – installed as auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Aloysius Ambrozic, Archdiocese of Toronto, Ontario

10 March 2000:  Bishop faces charge of sexual misconduct

23 March 2000:   Bishop facing sex allegations

(articles in text format)

PH 2001.23/07CP Photo by Walter Uglik, Art Photo Studio, Toronto, ON in 1992

The first post below was posted on a gay clergy” website on the day Canada’s National Post ran the news that there were “sexual improprieties” of some nature filed against Bishop John Knight.  Bishop Knight “retired” as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Toronto the following year.  He was 58.

(Click her for two other articles I received after putting up this posting)

The other attached articles contain further information about Knight.  It seems that since his very early retirement he is or was recently serving as a consultant to the CCCB (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops)

“Dignitarians”  is reference to members of Dignity, the organization of homosexuals who profess to be both practising Roman Catholics and practising homosexuals who actively strive to overturn Church teaching on homosexuality.  There was very limited media coverage on the allegations against Knight.  The attachment of the National Post article in the email to “Dignitarians”  may be about it.

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From: eagle1  <eagle1@c…>

Date: Fri Mar 10, 2000 0:17am

Subject: Re: Bishop’s Impropriety

Dignitarians:In the National Post of Thurs. Mar 9/00, Toronto Bishop John Knight

was placed on administrative leave for sexual improprieties. Not many

details were released in the press statement today, which can be found

at http://www.nationalpost.com/ and do a search for bishop knight.

Alan

Toronto

See attachement

[National Post]

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1 articles found matching your query bishop

knight.

1 – 1

Thursday, March 09, 2000

[—-]

1.      [VIEW]  Church probes allegation of

bishop’s sexual misconduct

Church probes allegation of

bishop’s sexual misconduct

Innocence declared Shannon Black   [ ]

National Post An auxiliary bishop

of the Toronto Archdiocese has

been placed on leave following an

allegation of sexual misconduct.

Bishop John Knight, 58, is

responsible for between 60 and 70

churches

news-national-toronto

[—-]

1 – 1

****

 [From the Archdiocese of Toronto website]

John Knight was born on April 10, 1942 in Binghamton, New York, and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario. He attended St. Patrick’s Separate School, Niagara Falls, Mount Carmel Secondary School, Niagara Falls and Notre Dame College School, Welland before entering St. Augustine’s Seminary. He was ordained for the Diocese of St. Catharines on June 2, 1967 by Bishop Thomas J. McCarthy of St. Catharines.

From 1967 to 1979 Father Knight assisted at St. Julia’s Parish, St. Catharines, St. Alfred’s Parish, St. Catharines, St. Mary’s Parish, Welland, and St. Denis’ Parish, St. Catharines. In 1979 he was appointed Pastor of St. Alexander’s Parish, Fonthill where he served until 1984. Along with his duties as a parish priest, Father Knight also held many other positions. In the 1970s he was a member of the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, Chaplain of the Niagara Regional Police Force from 1978 to 1984, part-time Director of Religious Education from 1979 to 1981, a member of the Council of Priests from 1979 to 1984, Dean of Welland from 1982 to 1984 and a Diocesan Consultor from 1983 to 1984. He was the Ontario representative on the National Council of Liturgy from 1971 to 1976 and also served as a member of the Board of Governors of Notre Dame College School, Welland from 1980 to 1984, having taught religion there in a part-time capacity from 1975 to 1977. On July 1, 1984, Father Knight was appointed President of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Canada. In May of 1987 he was named a Chaplain to Pope Paul II and given the title of Monsignor. Monsignor Knight resigned as President of Extension in October of 1987 and was appointed a member of the Secretariat of the Pontifical Council COR UNUM in November of the same year. He moved to Rome and was responsible particularly for the English-language business of the Council. Monsignor Knight served on the Council until 1990 when he returned to St. Catharines and was appointed Pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Thorold.

On April 27, 1992 Monsignor Knight was elected titular Bishop of Taraqua and Auxiliary to Archbishop Aloysius M. Ambrozic of Toronto. He was consecrated in St. Michael’s Cathedral on June 24, 1992 by Archbishop Ambrozic who was assisted by Archbishop Leonard J. Wall of Winnipeg and Bishop Thomas B. Fulton of St. Catharines. Upon his consecration Bishop Knight became Vicar of the eastern region of the diocese which includes Scarborough and Durham regions, and assumed responsibility for educational matters.

Bishop Knight retired as Auxiliary Bishop in 2001.

****

[From Catholic-Hhierarchy website]

Events

Date Age Event Title
10 Apr 1942 68.05 Born Binghamton, NY, USA
2 Jun 1967 25.1 Ordained Priest Priest of Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada
27 Apr 1992 50.0 Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
27 Apr 1992 50.0 Appointed Titular Bishop of Taraqua
24 Jun 1992 50.2 Ordained Bishop Titular Bishop of Taraqua
9 Apr 2000 58.0 Resigned Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

****

[From the Linked In website]

The following was on the Linked In website http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/John/Knight/ca-0-Canada/ 30 April 2010]

Bishop John Knight

Title

consultant at Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

Demographic info

Religious Institutions | Ottawa, Canada Area

Current:

consultant at Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops

_____________________________________________

Synod for Oceania: Bishop John Knight of Toronto Intervenes on Culture, Language and Women

CCCB website

Ottawa (CCCB) — The Most Rev. John Knight, Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, attending the Synod for Oceania in Rome, told the Assembly that special attention must continue to be given to the language used by the Church, especially in regards to women.

“Called to live our Christian faith in our own culture,” said Bishop Knight “we are struggling in our times with some of the implications of the Good News that ‘there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus’” (Galatians 3:28). Bishop Knight told the Synod that one way culture expresses itself is in language. “Our language to women, about women and with women is an expression of our culture and must also be an expression of our Christian faith.” He continued that this applies particularly to the language of our public worship, liturgy, and translations of the Scriptures.

The Canadian auxiliary bishop invited those in the Church who have responsibilities in the area of public worship to “develop a greater openness and dialogue on this matter despite opposition or indifference from various quarters.” “Because the church is open to the contribution of every culture,” he concluded, “especially when the culture is contributing something good, we who have a responsibility must work so that what may be a point of division may become a further sign in our public worship that we ‘are one in Christ Jesus.'”

Bishop Knight, a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, was named by the Pope to participate in the Synod for Oceania. This special assembly has brought together bishops and observers from the countries of Oceania as well as representatives from every continent. The Synod which opened on November 22 will continue until December 12, guided by the theme: “Jesus Christ and the Peoples of Oceania: Walking His Way, Telling His Truth, Living His Life.


For More Information Contact:
Deacon William Kokesch
Director, Communications Service

14 Responses to Knight: Bishop John Stephen

  1. Joseph Everett Harper says:

    John and I were classmates for at least two years.During that time we became friends. I have never seen John act or do anything that would be considered inappropriate or unbecoming of a Catholic gentleman. I am of the personal opinion that John is innocent of these charges.

    • Sylvia says:

      I don’t believe it ever went to police Joseph. The Archdiocese of Toronto investigated “allegations of sexual misconduct” against Bishop Knight who was at that time an auxiliary in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Bishop Knigh was relived of his duties pending the outcome of the investigation. That was it. He was gone, and not a word of explanation to a soul about his departure. No clarification on the allegations. Just …..gone! Does that sound like the investigation concluded the bishop was innocent? It doesn’t to me. It sounds more like a cover-up to me. Perhaps one of these days someone in the archdiocese will decide to enlighten the faithful? Or, perhaps one of these days someone who knows what the allegations are all about will speak up?

    • PJ says:

      Classmates?…you were classmates!! So for a few years prior to whenever the allegations were purported to have taken place you became friends. And based on that short timeframe you declare that the allegations are false? Wow…with such clarity and conviction, maybe you should run to become the next pope.

      • joseph Everett Harper says:

        Thank you Sylvia for your objective comments. To P.J -I just want to add that john and I have known each other for many years now;the classes were the beginning of that friendship. Pj ,I haven’t declared this to anyone; I just mentioned that this is my personal opinion. And yes P.J., I just may be the first lay pope in the history of the Church.

  2. joseph Everett Harper says:

    Thanks PJ for responding. Enjoyed your sense of humour. Joe

  3. Mike Fitzgerald says:

    Hey PJ;
    Couldn’t resist! I think the devil is making me do this.
    How about Pope Maximus Fruitus Coagulum? (just kidding, of course) Mike.

  4. Jerry Boyle says:

    I hate to nit pick but should that name not be “Maximus Fruitus Coagulum THE FIRST”

    Keep our humour alive!!!!

  5. anonymous says:

    bishop Knight was accused of inappropriate behaviour and the person who accused him of it did not want to persue the case, but just wanted him to be out of the ministry. He is out but as far as I know, he works at the Nunciature in Ottawa. He does not take part in any public finctions. I do believe he really committed this crime.

    • anonymous says:

      I am glad he is out of the ministry. I worked with him in Toronto office. I loved my work in the catholic church and being brought up from very religious parents. Bishop Knight was the worst president and/or religious person I have ever worked for. He had a very bad temper and would not even apologize. And in my opinion I believe he did not work well with women. What happened to me, yes, I should have complained about it many years ago. But it is very hard when you are a lay person and your going up against all of the clergy. To me you don’t even have a chance.

  6. Mike Fitzgerald says:

    Anonymous;
    It isn’t a pretty path to follow, is it? Amazing how power and money can corrupt! Mike.

  7. anonymous says:

    I was an altar boy at St. Alfreds Church in St. Catharines during the early 70’s. Father knight would take sets (3-4) of altar boys for a two day “camping” trip to Long Beach (Lake Erie) during the summers. At the time, I don’t recall him ever touching us … but I think back now and I wonder whether there was any intent on his part…. strange

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