January 23, 2009
Strategic planning task force members appointed by Bishop
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Editor’s note: The following information was previously pbulished Nov. 7
The members of a strategic planning task force have been appointed by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger.
The task force is to draw up a proposal, which will be submitted to consulting companies. The consulting company that is chosen will then assist the task force in generating a strategic plan for the diocese.
Among reasons for establishing such a task force: Bishop Gettelfinger will turn 75 on Oct. 20, 2010. Bishops at age 75 are required to request retirement. The Vatican is not required to accept a bishop’s request, so no one is predicting when exactly Bishop Gettelfinger will retire and when his successor will arrive.
The task force will be one of three ongoing efforts to prepare for and deal with the transition — along with town hall meetings and transition workshops.
Bishop Gettelfinger conduc-ted four “Bishop’s Town Hall Meetings” to date, at Res-urrection Church in Evansville, St. Vincent de Paul Church in Vincennes, at St. Joseph Church, Jasper and at St. John the Evangelist Church, Daylight.
Questions about diocesan staff levels, the declining number of priests, Mass attendance and the number of parishes and school were among questions asked at the town hall meetings. Bishop Gettelfinger told town hall participants that everything is “on the table” for the strategic planners to consider.
Workshops for parish and diocesan staff were held at the Catholic Center in Evansville on Oct. 29, and at St. Joseph Church in Jasper on Oct. 30. Approximately 240 people at-tended the workshops — in-cluding priests, pastoral life coordinators, deacons, parish and school staff and other interested persons from church-related positions in the diocese.
The members of the strategic task force include:
• Tad Dickel, principal of Mater Dei High School, Evansville
• John Patrick Engelbrecht, associated with South Central Radio Group
• Father Zach Etienne, pastor of St. Mary Church, Ireland
• Loretta Heidorn of Evansville, a former member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council
• Patricia Koch, associated with Holiday World, and actively engaged in various diocesan and parish responsibilities, from St. Nicholas Church, Santa Claus
• Ken Krasavage, from St. John Church in Newburgh and former director of diocesan services at the Catholic Center
• Benedictine Sister Barbara Lynn Schmitz, formerly on staff at St. Mary Church in Evansville, has returned to Monastery Immaculate Conception in a leadership position for the Ben-edictine community
• Paul Schutz, worship director at St. Mary Church, Evansville
• Ken Sicard, active in church and community, from St. Ferdinand Church in Ferdinand
• Sonya Webb, an active mem-ber of St. Nicholas Church, Santa Claus
• Brenda Sobecki, development director of Our Lady of Hope Church in Washington
• Bill Norman, an active member of St. Philip Church, Posey County
Ex officio members of the task force are Tim McGuire, chief operating officer of the Diocese of Evansville, and Bishop Gettelfinger.
Their next meeting is in late January.