February 26, 2010
Year for Priests
On the calendar: Praying for priests
By PAUL R. LEINGANG
In conjunction with the Catholic Schools Office, the Message is publishing a calendar during the Year for Priests. Students and staff are committed to praying for a priest each day, and parishioners are invited to participate.
- Monday, March 1 |
Father Gene Schroeder
- Father Eugene A. Schroeder, 57, is a Jasper native who studied at Magister Noster Latin School in Evansville and St. Meinrad Seminary.
He was ordained April 27, 1979, and served in his early years as associate pastor of St. Joseph, Corpus Christi and Holy Rosary churches, and as a teacher at Mater Dei High School, all in Evansville.
He was named pastor of St. Joseph Church in Evansville in 1984, then of St. Theresa Church in Evansville in 1993 and of St. Boniface Church in Evansville in 1999. He also served briefly as chaplain of St. Mary’s Health Care System in Evansville in 1999.
Since June 2000, Father Schroeder has been pastor of St. Jo-seph Church in Vanderburgh County.
- Father Eugene A. Schroeder, 57, is a Jasper native who studied at Magister Noster Latin School in Evansville and St. Meinrad Seminary.
- Tuesday, March 2 |
Father John Silva
- Father John A. Silva, 32, is pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church, Daylight.
He is a native of Snake Run in Gibson County, who studied at St. Meinrad College, St. John Vianney in St. Paul and then at Mundelein Seminary, near Chi-cago.
He was ordained June 5, 2004.
His early assignments included Holy Redeemer Church in Evansville, St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh and St. Joseph Church in Jasper, where he served as associate pastor.
In July 2008, Father Silva was named associate pastor of the parish in Daylight; the parish was one of four with Father Tony Ernst serving as pastor. Father Silva was named pastor in May 2009.
- Father John A. Silva, 32, is pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church, Daylight.
- Wednesday, March 3 |
Father Don Spalding
- Father Donald E. Spaulding, 79, retired in 2000 after many years as pastor of St. Raphael Church in Dubois.
He is a Loogootee native who studied at St. Meinrad Seminary and was ordained June 15, 1957.
Father Spaulding was associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Jasper, Holy Family Church in Jasper and St. Joseph Church in Evansville.
He has served as pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Oakland City and St. Bernard Church in Rockport, as co-pastor of St. Joseph Church in Evansville, and then pastor of St. Raphael from 1978 until his retirement.
- Father Donald E. Spaulding, 79, retired in 2000 after many years as pastor of St. Raphael Church in Dubois.
- Thursday, March 4 |
Father Ken Steckler
- Father Kenneth R. Steckler, 46, was ordained July 13, 1996, after studies at St. Meinrad College and in Belgium at Louvain. He is one of the 17 children of Gilbert and Mary (Gries) Steckler.
He was ordained at St. Mary church in Huntingburg and celebrated his first Mass at St. Henry Church in St. Henry.
After his first assignment as associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Jasper, he was named chaplain and teacher at Mater Dei High School and associate pastor of St. Joseph Church, both in Evansville.
He continued his ministry at Mater Dei, while residing at St. Boniface Church in Evansville in 2001, and while serving as pastor of St. Matthew Church in Mount Vernon in 2002, and also of Holy Angels Church in New Harmony in 2005.
Following a sabbatical, during which he hiked the Appa-lachian Trail, Father Steckler returned to his parishes in Mount Vernon and New Har-mony.
- Father Kenneth R. Steckler, 46, was ordained July 13, 1996, after studies at St. Meinrad College and in Belgium at Louvain. He is one of the 17 children of Gilbert and Mary (Gries) Steckler.
- Friday, March 5 |
Pastor or Chaplain
- Students and school staff pray for their pastor or chaplain on the first Friday of each month.