March 5, 2010
Priests of the Diocese of Evansville are observing significant anniversaries this year — including 70, 65, 60, 50 and 40 years of priesthood
Priests of the Diocese of Evansville are observing significant anniversaries this year —including 70, 65, 60, 50 and 40 years of priesthood.
Father Adolph M. Egloff, 94, retired in 1977 and resides in his native Vincennes. He was ordained May 14, 1940, four years before the Diocese of Evansville was established. He studied at St. Meinrad Seminary.
Father Egloff served parishes in Vincennes, Evansville, New Albany, Cannelburg and Princeton.
Msgr. Clinton Hirsch, 91, was the first priest ordained for the new Diocese of Evansville, on Feb. 2, 1945.
He has held parish and diocesan positions, including chancellor of the diocese, vicar general and director of diocesan operations.
Following the appointment of Evansville’s Bishop Paul F. Leibold to Cincinnati, and before the appointment of Bishop Francis R. Shea to Evansville, Msgr. Hirsch was diocesan administrator.
Father Robert Deig, 84, was ordained June 3, 1950. During six decades of priesthood he has served parishes and schools; he taught at Mater Dei High School and was superintendent at Memorial High School, both in Evansville. He was Director of the Holy Year in the diocese in 1975.
He is a native of Posey County who completed his priesthood studies at St. Meinrad Seminary.
Father Deig was named pastor emeritus of St. John the Evangelist Church, Daylight, in 2008. He resides at Little Sisters of the Poor in Evansville.
Father Jim Endress, 75, was born in Evansville. He studied at St. Meinrad and at Innsbruck, Austria, and was ordained April 3, 1960.
After serving as an assistant pastor in Evansville and Loogootee, he was released by the diocese to serve as a military chaplain in 1965.
Following a serious injury while serving in the military he returned to the diocese in 1982.
His ministry has included work in the Tribunal, sacramental assistance and involvement with Cursillo and TEC. He officially retired in 2004.
Father Jean Vogler, 65, is a Jasper native who studied at St. Meinrad and at Innsbruck. He has served in parishes, as a teacher at Memorial High School in Evansville, as diocesan director of the Catholic Communications Office, and director of the permanent diaconate.
He was ordained February 28, 1970.
He currently serves as associate pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Evansville, with additional responsiblities as director of the permanent diaconate office, and also as sacramental minister at St. Joseph Church in Evansville.
Three priests were ordained 45 years ago: Father Kenneth Betz, pastor of St. James Church in Haubstadt; Father Ralph Schipp, retired, and Father Bill Wargel, retired, were ordained May 27, 1965.
Three priests were ordained 35 years ago: Father Thomas Kessler, pastor of St. Philip Church in Posey County, June 7, 1975; Father Michael Madden, pastor of Holy Name Church in Bloomfield and St. Peter Church in Linton, August 22, 1975, and Father David Fleck, pastor of St. John the Baptist and St. Vincent de Paul churches, both in Vincennes, ordained Sept. 5, 1975.
Father Jack Durchholz, pastor of St. Ferdinand Church in Ferdinand, was ordained 15 years ago, March 18, 1995.
Father Eugene Schmitt, pastor of St. Bernard Church in Rockport and St. Martin Church in Chrisney, was ordained 10 years ago, on June 3, 2000.
Father John Brosmer and Father Alex Zenthoefer were ordained five years ago, on June 4, 2005. Father Brosmer is pastor of St. Joseph Church in Dale and St. Nicholas Church in Santa Claus.
Father Zenthoefer is associate pastor of Holy Rosary Church, diocesan director of vocations, and chaplain at Mater Dei and Memorial high schools, both in Evansville.
Three deacons are observing 25 years in ordained ministry.
Deacon Stephen Hall Jr., 81, was ordained Aug. 3, 1985. He and his wife Pat live in Fort Branch. Deacon Hall is assigned to Holy Cross Church in Fort Branch and St. Bernard Church in Snake Run.
Deacon Michael Morris, 66, was ordained Sept. 20, 1985. He and his wife, Rose Ann, live in Odon, Ind. He is assigned to prison ministry at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Carlisle.
Deacon Ed Wilkerson, 61, was ordained Oct. 4, 1985. He and his wife, Kathy, are residents of Evansville. Deacon Wilkerson served at Good Shepherd Church in Evansville from 1987 to November 2009, the last three years as pastoral life coordinator.
Two deacons were ordained 20 years ago: Deacon Thomas Holsworth, who serves as mastor of ceremonies and episcopal liturgies, and Deacon Cyril Will, assigned to Good Shepherd Church in Evansville. Deacon Thomas and Shirley Holsworth live in Jasper. Deacon Cy and Pat Will live in Evansville.
Twenty-three deacons were ordained five years ago: Deacons Vincent Bernardin, William Brandle, Michael Burns, David Cook, Jim Flynn, Gerald Gagne, Thomas Goebel, William Heberling, Michael Helfter, Dennis Hilderbrand, Kenneth Johanning, Charles Koressel, Thomas Lehman, David Mayer, David Rice, Earl Ruppel, Levi Schnellenberger, David Seibert, Michael Seibert, Joe Stofleth, Michael Waninger, James Woebkenberg and Donald Yochum.