May 7, 2010
Father Kreilein named pastor of St. Mary Church, Ireland
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Father Ronald Kreilein will be the new pastor of St. Mary Church in Ireland, effective Wednesday, June 2. He follows Father Zach Etienne, who was named pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Evansville in January.
The appointment by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger was announced at parish Masses May 1 and 2.
No appointment has been announced for St. Peter Celestine Church in Celestine and St. Raphael Church in Dubois, the two parishes that have been under Father Kreilein’s pastoral care.
“I am really excited about being appointed as pastor of St Mary’s in Ireland, one of the fastest growing parishes in our diocese,” Father Kreilein said.
“I am very grateful for the parishioners of St. Celestine and St. Raphael for allowing me to grow as a newly assigned pastor there for the past year and a half and will pray for them as they journey forward with their new priest.”
Father Kreilein, 55, was ordained June 2, 2007. His first assignment was to St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh as associate pastor. He was named pastor of St. Peter Celestine and St. Raphael in November 2008.
St. Mary Church, established in 1891, has 1,031 families, or 2,716 individuals, according to the 2010 diocesan Yearbook and Directory.
St. Peter Celestine Church, established in 1843, has 469 families, or 1,327 total parishioners.
The Dubois County parish of St. Raphael, established in 1899, has 319 families, or 873 total parishioners.
The three parishes are in the Jasper Deanery.