September 4, 2009
The Message begins 40th year of publication
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
This issue of the Message begins the fortieth year of newspaper service to the people of the Diocese of Evansville. Newspapers have played a significant role throughout the history of the diocese.
• The Indiana Catholic and Record, published in Indianapolis, reported on Nov. 24, 1944, that Pope Pius XII had named the Right Rev. Henry Joseph Grimmelsman as the first Bishop of Evansville.
That same front page item also reported that Msgr. John George Bennett was to be the first Bishop of Lafayette, also newly established, and that Bishop Joseph E. Ritter would be the first Archbishop of the newly elevated Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
• On Oct. 5, 1956, the Southwestern Indiana Edition of The Register (provided through an agreement with the Denver Register) headlined a front page story, “Bishop Wishes Paper to Go Into Every Home of Diocese.” Bishop Grimmelsman stated that the diocese had selected the Register, with a local news section, to be the official diocesan journal.
• On Jan. 5, 1968, Catholic homes received the first of yet another new weekly newspaper, the Evansville Edition of the Criterion, published in Indianapolis. Father William Muller and J. Jeff Hays were identified as the editors of the local portion of the paper.
• The first issue of the Message was dated Oct. 2, 1970, with new Bishop Francis R. Shea the publisher and Father Joseph Ziliak the editor. Father Ziliak made a strong and lasting connection with the Catholic Press Association and with NC News Service (now Catholic News Service).
The first three papers were broadsheet — similar to the size of most daily newspapers. The Message was —and remains — a tabloid, the size many Catholic newspapers in the nation have chosen over the past 40 years.
Father Ziliak continued as editor until April 1987, then served several years as associate publisher while continuing in parish ministry. The current editor, Paul R. Leingang, has served the Message since April 1987.
Among historic events reported by the Message was the retirement of Bishop Shea, and the installation of Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, on April 11, 1989.
A notable innovation in the history of the Message was the publication of a full color magazine on March 20, 2009, to note the twentieth anniversary of Bishop Gettelfinger. The 64-page magazine was distributed to more than 32,000 homes and businesses in the diocese.
Among notable challenges in the life of the Message is the emergence of new media and the establishment of the online edition of the Message, at themessageonline.org. Among new features on the Message website are photo galleries of diocesan events — and most recently a video of the Aug. 15 ordination of 12 men to the permanent diaconate.
Among the many staff members who have given time and talent to the Message over the years is one of particular note: Mary Ann Hughes, the recipient of numerous national awards during her part time but continuous service since January 2, 1985.
Among the many changes in the past 40 years is the face of the local church — the ministers and leaders of this institutional church the Message continues to serve. In 1969, 130 diocesan priests served the diocese, and 68 of the 74 parishes had a resident pastor. Among Catholic school teachers were 26 priests, 13 brothers and 254 sisters.
The 2009 Yearbook and Directory counts 46 active diocesan priests in the diocese, 10 sisters teaching in Catholic schools. But also listed are new positions unheard of in 1970 — pastoral associates and parish business managers and others. Lay teachers, their numbers already growing in 1970, have since been joined by many new lay leaders in parish ministry.
In August of this year, Bishop Gettelfinger formally began a strategic planning process that will examine the current realities of the local church — its parishes and schools and ministries and structures — and give direction to the steps for the future.
The Message is committed to covering, in print and on-line, these ever new developments of significance to the Catholic Church of Southwestern Indiana. It is the same commitment — with the same uncertainty — that was described by Father Ziliak in a front page item on the first issue of the Message in 1970.
The headline was “A step into the future . . . “ And the article began, “The unknown that lies before is always an act of faith.”