May 15, 2009
Question series: Your turn to ask
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
How many priests will be available for parishes in our diocese? Deacon Ryan Hilder-brand will be ordained a priest June 5. Five seminarians are currently preparing for priesthood for the diocese at the theology level, but none will be completing studies in 2010.
In the 20 years from 1990 through 2009, the number of ordained priests who remain active in the diocese is 18. When he is ordained in June, Father Hilderbrand will be the nineteenth.
The total number of active diocesan priests, according to the 2009 Yearbook, is 46, and will be 47 on June 6.
There are 69 parishes in the diocese.
What do you want to know about the Diocese of Evansville? In the fall of 2008, questions were submitted in preparation for two Bishop’s Town Hall meetings.
A Message series based on those questions has provided information about diocesan fi-nance, parish management treaning, laity participation, evangelization, confirmation time and catechist development.
The series will continue on an occasional basis, as topics are tackled by diocesan staff members and others with expertise in particular areas.
New questions are also being sought: What do you want to know about the diocese? About plans for the future? About availability of clergy? About Catholic school tuition?
In October 2010, Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, as required, will submit his resignation to the pope. It is not known when the pope will accept his letter of resignation. What is known is that a new bishop will be named at some point, to be the Fifth Bishop of Evansville.
What will the next bishop find upon his installation? How many parishes will there be? How many Catholic schools? How many priests and deacons will be available? How many lay leaders? How many vowed religious?
In recent issues of the Message, Bishop Gettelfinger has addressed the topic of how a bishop is chosen. Benedictine Sister Geraldine Hedinger, diocesan director of adult formation, has written about encouraging Mass atendance and evangelization. Father Jim Sauer has written columns about the RCIA. Matt Miller, diocesan director of worship, has provided insights into the questions about the appropriate age for confirmation.
What do you want to know?
Send your questions to the Message, P.O. Box 4169, Evansville, IN 47724-0169, or e-mail them to message@evansville-diocese.org.