December 25, 2009

2009

Groundbreaking for a new church, strategic planning

By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)

Financial matters, strategic planning and ordinations highlighted 2009 in the Diocese of Evansville. Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger ordained a new priest, Father Ryan Hilderbrand, and 12 new deacons, and groundbreaking ceremo-nies were held in November for a new church in Boonville.

Groundbreaking

Groundbreaking ceremonies for a new church were held Nov. 1 on the parish grounds at St. Clement Church in Boonville. The new building will seat nearly 600 people, and cost $1.6 million. It will be located behind the present church, which will be razed. “This long worked-for vision is coming to reality,” said Father Lowell Will, pastor. “It has been the work of many people.”

Ordinations, installation

• On June 6, Bishop Gettelfinger or-dained Ryan Hilderbrand to the priesthood, in a ceremony held at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville.

In his homily, the bishop cited the Gospel passage in which Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. When Peter says, “Yes,” Jesus tells him to “feed my lambs,” “tend my sheep,” and “feed my sheep.”

• Twelve men were ordained to the diaconate on Aug. 15 by Bishop Gettelfinger. They include Emil Altmeyer, Kevin Bach, Christian Borowiecki, Thomas Evans, Thomas Kempf, James King, Mark McDonald, John McMullen, Phillip Pierpont, Dennis Russell, Dr. Anthony Schapker and Mark Wade.

• On Dec. 9, Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput presided at the ordination and installation Mass for Bishop Paul D. Etienne in Wyoming. Bishop Gettelfinger was among the ordaining bishops at the ceremony.

He was a pastor at St. Paul Church in Tell City when he was named Cheyenne’s bishop. He is the brother of two priests in the Diocese of Evansville: Father Bernie Etienne, pastor at Holy Rosary Church, Evansville, and director of the Vocations Office, and Father Zach Etienne, pastor at St. Mary Church, Ireland.

Strategic Planning

During 2009, two active groups were serving the diocese in the strategic planning process: a planning team and a discernment team.

Four Town Hall meetings were held in the fall as part of the strategic planning process; participants were invited to describe situations in their lives when the Church was most meaningful and to discuss their hopes, dreams and visions for their parishes and for the diocese.

People throughout the diocese were also invited to participate in an on-line questionnaire.

Cost-saving measures

Staff reductions, a salary freeze for priests and diocesan staff, a reduction in priests and diocesan staff, a reduction in the Catholic Par-ishes Campaign goal, and a call to cut the budget by 10 per-cent — these were the elements of cost-saving measures an-nounced Feb. 6 by Bishop Gettelfinger and Tim McGuire, diocesan chief operating officer.

Reasons given for the cuts include concern for parishes in this time of financial uncertainty, the soft economy, increasing unemployment and low earnings or losses from diocesan investments.

The CPC goal was cut back to $5,162,869, which was 1.77 percent lower than the previous year.

Assignments, resignations

During the year 2009, Bishop Gettelfinger announced the following assignments for priests in the diocese:

• Father Jack Durchholz, pas-tor at St. Ferdinand Church, Ferdinand;

• Father Ryan Hilderbrand, associate pastor at St. Peter Church, Montgomery, All Saints Church, Cannelburg, and Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Petersburg;

• Father Gary Kaiser, pastor at Precious Blood Church, Jasper;

• Father James Koressel, pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Petersburg; continue as pastor at St. Peter Church, Montgomery, and All Saints Church, Cannelburg;

• Father David Martin, associate pastor at St. John the Baptist Church, Newburgh;

• Father John Silva, pastor at St. John Church, Daylight.

Father John Breidenbach was place on health leave effective June 8.

Father John Sasse, an Evansville native and a member of the Legionaries of Christ since 1989, was appointed associate pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Haubstadt, Holy Cross Church, Fort Branch, and St. Bernard Church, Snake Run. He has an indult from Rome for a three-year period of discernment, during which his allegiance is transferred from his religious community superior to Bishop Gettelfinger.

Deacon assignments included

  • Emil Altmeyer, St. Joseph Church, Evansville;
  • Kevin Bach, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville, and information technology at the Catholic Center in Evansville;
  • Christian Borowiecki, Holy Rosary Church, Evansville;
  • Thomas Evans, St. Matthew Church, Mount Vernon, and Holy Angels Church, New Har-mony;
  • Deacon Donald Haag, retired;
  • Thomas Kempf, St. Agnes Church, Evansville;
  • James King, St. Ferdinand Church, Ferdinand;
  • Mark McDonald, St. Wendel Church, St. Wendel, and St. Francis Xavier Church, Posey-ville;
  • John McMullen, Nativity Church, Evansville, and chaplain at Evansville State Hospital;
  • Philip Pierpont, Sacred Heart Church, Vincennes;
  • Dennis Russell, St. Mary Church, Evansville;
  • Dr. Anthony Schapker, Holy Spirit Church, Evansville;
  • Mark Wade, St. Joseph Church, Princeton, and Blessed Sacrament Church, Oakland City.

Michael Roesch was named the Catholic campus minister at the University of Evansville.

Benedictine Sister Joan Scheller was appointed associate di-rector of Hispanic ministry in the diocese.

Deacon Ed Wilkerson and Father Attila Fröhlich relinquished their positions at Good Shepherd Church in Evansville at the parish Masses Nov. 21 and 22. Deacon Wilkerson and Father Fröhlich have served as pastoral life coordinator and as resident sacramental minister, respectively, since September of 2006.

Life issues

• In early January an anti-FOCA [Freedom of Choice Act] postcard campaign was underway in the diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Gettelfin-ger and Emily Snipes, diocesan Respect Life director.

“Our nation is facing the most serious threat to pro-life policies it has ever seen with the ‘Freedom of Choice Act,’” they said in a letter to pastors and pastoral life coordinators.

“As our new President is sworn into office and as the new Congress begins its year, we expect pro-life policies will be attacked consistently and vigorously. Unfortunately, since 1989, pro-abortion groups have been working to promote FOCA in order to eliminate all legal possibilities of protecting human life in the womb. It is imperative that as a Catholic Church we oppose FOCA.

“If abortion were to become a fundamental right in our na-tion, Catholic hospitals and social service agencies would be unable to fulfill their mission according to Christian principles and divine law. It would also eliminate regulations that protect women from unsafe clinics and force American taxpayers to fund abortions.”

• Parishioners throughout the diocese traveled to Wash-ington, D.C. in late January to participate in the March for Life. The annual march has been held each year since 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of legalized abortion in its Roe v. Wade decision.

• In March, Bishop Gettelfinger made the decision to not attend the Vanderburgh County Right to Life banquet. Michael Steele, national chairperson of the Republican National Committee, was scheduled as its featured speaker. Steele had been quoted in a national magazine as saying that women have the right to choose abortion.

The bishop talked with Steele by phone on March 20, and then made the decision not to attend the banquet. In response to the bishop’s decision, the Knights of Columbus also made the decision to not provide their ceremonial color guard at the banquet.

• Bishop Gettelfinger and the executive director of the Indiana Catholic Conference, Glenn Teb-be, met Sept. 8 with Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., on the topic of health care reform. Bishop Gettelfinger encouraged the congressman to support health care reform that did not include abortion.

Tebbe also urged Ellsworth to support health care coverage for legal immigrants.

• A prayer vigil opposing the death penalty was held Dec. 10 at Holy Redeemer Church in Evansville, the eve of the scheduled death of convicted murderer Eric Wrinkles.

Emily Snipes from Catholic Charities coordinated the vigil which centered on praying for the dignity of all human life.

Mary Winnecke’s daughter was one of three people killed by Wrinkles. During 2009, she worked for the cause of abolishing the death penalty in the state of Indiana. During the prayer vigil, she said, “God has given us peace. We have forgiven Eric.”

A new saint

The Little Sisters of the Poor in Evansville celebrated the Feb. 21 announcement that their foundress, Jeanne Jugan, would be canonized on Oct. 11, 2009.

Mother Rose Marie Mayock, the superior in Evansville, said, “She deserves it. We’ve waited a long time for this day.” She said Jeanne Jugan was known for her “humility and simplicity. She’s a model for all of us really.”

Bishop Gettelfinger and several area residents with ties to the Little Sisters attended the canonization.

Bishop Gettelfinger presided at a local celebration following the canonization at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville on Nov. 21.

Hispanic Ministry

The newly formed Diocesan Advisory Board for Hispanic Ministry met early in the year, and during the first meeting members agreed on priorities:

• The need to promote leadership and involvement of His-panics in parish and diocesan life.

• That Spanish-speaking priests be recruited, that priests with Spanish preparation/study/im-mersion be required to serve Hispanic communities/parishes soon after ordination so that they don’t lose what they have learned, and that the diocese promote vocations among His-panics.

• The board resolved to educate itself and others about immigration issues.

• Focus on education, which according to the board means continuing and increasing outreach and educational opportunities to Hispanic children, perhaps through scholarships to diocesan schools.

The board includes members from the five parishes where there is presently a weekly Mass in Spanish.

• A forum was held at Nativity Church in Evansville in July to discuss the DREAM Act. DREAM stands for Develop-ment, Relief and Education for Alien Minors. Under provisions of the DREAM Act, an undocumented person of good moral character could receive conditional residency status — if the student graduated from high school, earned a GED, was admitted to an institution of higher education, or served in the armed forces.

Ministers honored

Bishop Gettelfinger presided at a September ceremony at the cathedral which recognized cathechists for their years of service to the diocese.

When he addressed the group, he asked them to “look at what brought you here today,” adding, “you answered the call.” In their ministries, “there will be moments of frustration,” he said, “but you are called to persevere and be a sign of hope.”

Education

JOHN PAUL THE GREAT

Elizabeth Flatt, principal of the newly-opened private high school in Jasper, John Paul the Great Catholic High School, welcomed nine students on the first day of school. The school is housed on the third floor of St. Joseph’s parish center.

GRADUATION

Three-hundred fifty-three sen-iors received their high school diplomas this year in the four Catholic high schools operated by parishes in the Diocese of Evansville.

ADMINISTRATORS

New principals included Sister Mary Karen Bahlmann at Christ the King School in Evansville and Joseph Brake at Precious Blood School in Jasper.

ENROLLMENT

There were 7,138 students enrolled in Catholic schools in the diocese on the first day of school in August. This was a decrease of 283 students compared with the 2008-2009 school year.

JOSHUA ACADEMY

The St. Joseph School facility in Evansville was leased to Joshua Academy and is now the home for an elementary public charter school with 150 students in the second through fifth grade, using 11 classrooms and other school facilities. Joshua Academy operates a private faith-based pre-school program for three and four-year olds and also a public charter school for kindergarten and first grade students, with both programs at Nazarene Baptist Church in Evansville.

PRE-SCHOOL OPENS

A pre-school opened at St. John Church in Daylight with an enrollment of 38 children.

AWARDS

  • The Mater Dei High School Supermileage Team took first place in the inaugural Urban Concept Class at the Shell Eco-Marathon Americaspast weekend at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. The team now holds the America’s records in the Prototype class and Urban Concept class.
  • The academic decathlon team at Memorial High School, Evansville, brought home its third consecutive state title in February.
  • Benedictine Mary Francis Williams, a teacher at Mater Dei High School, Evansville, was named the 2009 High School Teacher of the Year by the University of Evansville and the Evansville Courier and Press.
  • Memorial High School senior Will Sievern was named a national finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman award.

Youth and Young Adult

• Fifty-nine young adults received the Maria Goretti Youth distinction during ceremonies Feb. 22 at Holy Rosary Church, Evansville.

• Young adults from the diocese joined nearly 21,000 teens and their 3,000 adult chaperones at the 2009 National Catholic Youth Conference in November in Kansas City, Mo. The theme of the conference was “Christ Reigns.”

• During 2009, Steve Dab-rowski, diocesan director of the Youth and Young Adult Form-ation Office, began training sessions for the six full-time youth ministers. A website was also established; it can be ac-cessed at www.evansville-diocese.org under youth and young adult formation.

Candidates, catechumens

There were 82 catechumens and 138 candidates who completed their initiation process into the Church on Holy Satur-day.

The catechumens became “the Elect” during Rite of Election ceremonies on March 1 at St. Joseph Church, Jasper, and St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville. They were baptized and confirmed during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. They also received Communion.

Candidates for full communion also completed their initiation process into the Church on Holy Saturday.

Jubilee Celebration

Hundreds of couples — all married 50 years or longer — attended the annual Mass and reception at Good Shepherd in Evansville. The celebration is sponsored by Catholic Charities.

During the homily, Bishop Gettelfinger told the jubilarians “you are showing us the way. Rejoice in that and pray for the strength to go on.”

Bruté Society

The Bruté Society grew by 138 new members in 2009. An induction ceremony was held Oct. 25 at the cathedral.

Bishop Gettelfinger presided at the ceremony.

Matt Miller, diocesan director of Worship, said, “The purpose of the Bruté Society is to acknowledge and give thanks for exemplary Christian stewardship demonstrated by individual members of the Diocese of Evansville.

“By doing this in a public and formal way, we hope to promote an ever-deepening commitment to stewardship as the way of life for all Catholics of southwestern Indiana. In addition, the witness of stewardship shown by the members of the Bruté Society may serve to inspire others to give of themselves in living out their baptismal call.”

Justin Clements is the retired diocesan director of Stewardship and Development. He is the founder of the Bruté Society program in the diocese. This year, he and his wife Shirley became honorary members of the society.

“His tireless work establishing and promoting this recognition society for the people of the diocese, along with countless other contributions to the Church local and universal, should not go unrecognized,” Miller said.

Awards

• Father Steve Lintzenich received the Outstanding Pastor award from the National Asso-ciation of Pastoral Musicians.

• Benedictine Father Damian Schmelz, a monk of St. Meinrad and pastor at St. Henry Church in St. Henry, was inducted into the Indiana Conservation Hall of Fame in September.

Transitions

20 YEARS

• Bishop Gettelfinger was the chief celebrant at Mass April 4 observing the twentieth anniversary of his ordination and installation as Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville.

Celebrating with him at St. Benedict Cathedral were a large number of priests and deacons, family members and individuals from parishes throughout the diocese, and representatives of the National Catholic Com-mittee on Scouting who made a special presentation at the end of the Mass.

DEATHS

• Father Patrick F. Foster, a retired priest of the diocese, and former pastor at St. Joseph Church, Jasper, died April 10 at his home in St. Louis. He was 78.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1956, and served at St. Francis Xavier Church (Old Cathedral) in Vincennes, Holy Name Church, Bloomfield, St. John Church, Evansville, St. Wendel Church, St. Wendel, Holy Spirit Church, Evansville, and Nativity Church, Evansville.

In 1974, he was the founder of the Permanent Diaconate program in the diocese, serving as its director from 1974 to 1976.

• Deacon Joseph V. Blankenberger died June 14. He was 87.

He was among the first permanent deacons ordained for the diocese on May 15, 1977, by Bishop Francis R. Shea. He was assigned to his home parish of St. Wendel Church from 1977 until his retirement in 2002.

• Father Raymond Reising, a priest in the Diocese of Evansville for more than 60 years, died July 14 in Evansville. He was 89.

Father Reising was one of the first two priests ordained in the new Diocese of Evansville. The diocese’s first bishop, Henry J. Grimmelsman, ordained him on February 2, 1945, at Assumption Cathedral in Evansville.

At the time of the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood in 1995, Father Reising admitted he was a shy person. He said he would “just as soon be in the back pew” at his jubilee Mass at St. Joseph Church in Evansville.

• Father Ray Schroering, a priest in the diocese for 60 years, died July 19. He was 85. He retired in 1990, but helped out occasionally at Holy Family Church in Jasper, his home parish.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1949, by Bishop Grimmelsman.

For several years he was part of the Woodcutters, a group of priests who chopped wood on their day off. It was a way to combine camaraderie with physical exercise and also a chance to help out various charities.

• Holy Cross Brother Eugene Phillip, long-time Memorial High School teacher, died Aug. 4. He was 71. Almost immediately his former students began sharing their memories on Facebook, a social networking site.

• A memorial Mass was held Sept. 19 for Evansville native Brother Hugo Stippler. He celebrated his golden anniversary of making final vows in the Order of the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God on March 19.

• Deacon Robert C. “Bob” Thurgood, 86, of Evansville, died Oct. 31 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

He was ordained to the diaconate on June 19, 1983, and served at Holy Rosary Church in Evansville until his retirement in 2000.

He was a member of Holy Rosary Church. He was awarded the Msgr. Maurilius E. Bilskie Award in 1988, and installed into the Bruté Society in 1997 for outstanding and devoted service to his parish.

ANNIVERSARIES

During the year, the following priests and religious celebrated their anniversaries of ordination and profession of vows.

Eighteen diocesan priests celebrated important anniversaries in 2009.

70 YEARS

  • Father James H. Rogers, May 30, 1939.

60 YEARS

  • Father Raymond Schroering, June 11, 1949. Father Schroering died July 19.

55 YEARS

  • Father Firmus Dick, April 4, 1954.

50 YEARS

  • Father Donald Dilger, March 15, 1959.

45 YEARS

  • Father John Davidson, March 14, 1964.
  • Father Raymond Kuper, March 14, 1964.
  • Father James Blessinger, May 23, 1964.
  • Father John Schipp, May 23, 1964.
  • Father Theodore Tempel, May 23, 1964.

40 YEARS

  • Father Raymond Brenner, May 17, 1969.
  • Father James Koressel, May 17, 1969.
  • Father David Nunning, Aug. 3, 1969.

35 YEARS

  • Father Philip Kreilein, June 2, 1974.
  • Father Stephen Lintzenich, June 22, 1974.

30 YEARS

  • Father Eugene Schroeder, April 27, 1979.

5 YEARS

  • Father Zach Etienne, June 5, 2004.
  • Father Jason Gries, June 5, 2004.
  • Father John Silva, June 5, 2004.

SISTERS OF ST. BENEDICT

Sisters of St. Benedict in Fer-dinand who celebrated anniversaries of monastic profession during 2009 included Sisters Helen Maurer, Benita Biever and Dolorita Libs, 70 years; Sisters Victoria Pohl and Benedicta Clauss, 60 years.

Golden jubilarians included Sisters Mary Austin Blank, Mary Emma Jochum, Mary Cheryl Uebelhor, Rosa Lee Koch and Mary Oliver Reising.

Sister Susan Ann Necas was a silver jubilarian in 2009.

SISTERS OF PROVIDENCE

Four Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods with ties to the diocese celebrated special anniversaries in 2009. Golden jubilarians include Sister Ellen Cunningham and Sister Doro-thy Rasche. Silver jubilarians include Sister Carolyn Bouch-ard and Sister Catherine White.

DAUGHTERS OF CHARITY

Eight members of the East Central Province Daughters of Charity celebrated special anni-versaries in 2009 including Sisters Vivian David, Mary Louise Happich, Anthony Prugger, Mary Ruth Rault and Em-manuel Schott, 60 years, and Sisters Sheila Carney, Julie Huiskamp and Jacinta Reiter, 50 years.

RETIREMENTS

Justin Clements, diocesan director of the Office of Stewardship and Development, and George-Anne Ryder, diocesan director of Activities and Facilities for the Catholic Center and Sarto Retreat House, both in Evansville, retired in 2009.

James F. Collins, director of Catholic Charities, announced in 2009 that he will retire in 2010.

CLOSING

Villa Maria, a residence for retired priests which opened in 1991, was closed in 2009. It was located on the grounds at Memorial High School in Evansville.

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