July 17, 2009

Clergy appointments in 2009: A recap and a look ahead

By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)

As the Catholic Church of Southwestern Indiana moves into the second decade of the twenty-first century, 2009 will have several significant events to be noted. They include a single priestly ordination, a missionary’s return to Southern Indiana, and the anticipated ordination of 12 new permanent deacons.

Father Ryan Hilderbrand was ordained June 6 and ap-pointed associate pastor with Father James E. Koressel as pastor, at St. Peter Church in Montgomery, All Saints Church in Can-nelburg and Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Petersburg.

With no diocesan seminarian currently nearing completion of theology studies, no priestly ordination is planned for 2010.

Father John Sasse, who left southern Indiana in 1989 to join the Legionairies of Christ, has returned to serve in the diocese. As of June 24, Father Sasse is serving as associate pastor with Father Tony Ernst as pastor, at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Haubstadt, Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch and St. Bernard Church in Snake Run.

During the next three years, a decision will be made whether Father Sasse will become a permanent member of the diocesan clergy.

On Aug. 15, 12 men are scheduled to be ordained as permanent deacons. They are the first to reach ordination since 2005, and with the current requirements of a four-year formation period, it is likely that no new permanent deacons will be ordained until at least 2013.

The men anticipating diaconal ordination are the following:

Emil Altmeyer of Evansville
Kevin Bach of Evansville
Christian Borowiecki of New-burgh
Thomas Evans of Mount Vernon
Thomas Kempf of Evansville
James King of Ferdinand
Mark McDonald of Mount Vernon
John McMullen of Evansville
Philip Pierpont of Vincennes
Dennis Russell of Evansville
Anthony Schapker of New-burgh, and
Mark Wade of Hazleton

The deacon candidates have received their assignments; they will be published in the Mess-age Aug. 14.

The new year

In decades past, most clergy assignments were made and announced in June. But 2009 began with a series of changes for parish leadership.

Father David Martin, pastor of St. Ferdinand Church in Ferdinand since November 2004, was appointed associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh, where Father Joseph Ziliak is the pastor. The appointment, made at Father Martin’s request, was announced Jan. 3 and 4 at the two parishes.
Father James E. Koressel was named as temporary ad-ministrator of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Petersburg, and Deacon Donald Haag was appointed as temporary pastoral life coordinator for the parish, following the unexpected death of Father Ed Schneider on Dec. 29, 2008.

As of June 17, Deacon Haag completed his responsibilities as temporary pastoral life coordinator and Father Koressel became the official pastor of the parish in Petersburg, with newly-ordained Father Ryan Hilderbrand as his associate pastor.

The June appointments

Throughout diocesan history, the time of new priestly ordination has often been the time of new clergy appointments, and 2009 was no exception.

Father Ryan Hilderbrand, as mentioned above, was or-dained June 6 and assigned as associate pastor for parishes in Montgomery, Cannelburg and Petersburg.
Father Gary Kaiser, who was ordained June 3, 2006, had been serving as associate pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Haubstadt, Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch and St. Bernard Church in Snake Run. Father Kaiser was named to his first pastorate, Precious Blood Church in Jasper. He succeeeds Father John Breidenbach, on health leave as of June 8.
Father John Silva was also named to his first pastorate, St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight. Father Silva had been serving the parish since July 2008 as associate pastor, with Father Tony Ernst as pastor. That arrangement had Father Ernst responsible for the parish in Daylight along with his three parishes in Gibson County. As of May 14, Father Silva officially became pastor of St. John Church.
Father John Sasse was named as associate pastor of the three parishes in Gibson County where Father Kaiser had been assigned.
Father Jack Durchholz, on health leave since September 2008, was named temporary sacramental minister of St. Ferdinand Church in Ferdinand in April, then pastor of the parish as of June 24.

In memoriam