July 17, 2009
Sister Geraldine Hedinger
Despite health concerns, her work continues in diocese
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Benedictine Sister Geraldine Hedinger began her life’s journey on a family farm near Ferdinand. She’s so proud of her parents, Joe and Marie, and so thankful for the faith lessons they taught her.
“People tell me I’m a faith-filled person. It started with my family. I can’t say enough for the formation I had as a child. It started in my family before I ever had an education.
“At home it wasn’t taught, it was lived. Mom and Dad lived it, and we kids saw that as a model. That’s the foundation out of which everything else grew.”
That strong foundation of faith has served her well over the years, as a member of the Benedictine community in Ferdinand, as a teacher and principal, pastoral associate and currently as the diocesan director of the Office for Adult Formation.
It’s also the basis of her strength as she enters a new stage in her life, one that will entail doctor visits and chemotherapy. A few weeks ago, she received a diagnosis of lung cancer. “I see it as a personal journey,” she said, “and I’m counting on prayer. I appreciate prayer.”
When people ask how she is doing, she admits, “There’s not a whole lot I can tell them. Right now, I’m doing well. I started chemo, and I’m probably dealing with chemo until Christmas time.
“I’m continuing a normal work schedule, and programs and activities are continuing as planned.”
Her office is bringing in theologian and storyteller Megan McKenna in early August. McKenna will be speaking on “Sacraments, Liturgy and Ritual as Rites of Justice.” She will be at the Catholic Center in Evansville from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 7, and at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 8.
The “Toolbox” program continues; it consists of workshops, one in every deanery twice a year. Topics include “Principles of Social Teaching,” “Mary and the Saints” and “The Ten Command-ments and the Beatitudes.”
Classes at Brescia University in Owensboro are part of the lay ministry formation, and a skills institute is held once a month for DREs. Topics include “Ministerial Relationships,” “Communications” and “Building community.” And this past week, there was a two-day RCIA institute headed up by Sister Geraldine’s office.
She’s proud of the lay ministers who are working in the Diocese of Evansville today. “There are a lot of people who are doing great work. They are the best kept secret. We have a lot of great people out there. They are usually in the background, but they hold all the pieces together.”
Sister Geraldine says that every day she depends on the faith that she was given by her parents. “That’s the foundation out of which everything else grew.”
She adds, “If the foundation is there, it stays. If it’s solid, it stays.”
Of her recent diagnosis, she says, “It’s life. I enjoy life. Life has all kinds of pieces in it.”