October 1, 2010
Putting Strategic Planning into context
The First Fifty Years: Part II — Early beginnings
Editor’s note: This article is the fifth in a series examining the Catholic Church in southwestern Indiana and its leadership and also the trends in the church and in the larger society. (Download this story as a PDF | See other articles in the series)
The following text is taken from The First Fifty Years, written by Msgr. Clinton Hirsch and published by the Catholic Press of Evansville in 2003.
1945 through 1949
During this period of organization, much effort was expended to effect cohesiveness; and so, understandably there were several “firsts:” Diocesan Convention of the Council of Catholic Women, Diocesan Teachers’ Institute, Legion of Mary Assembly, Diocesan Church Music Conference, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Meeting, and the Diocesan Synod I (1948).
In the years following immediately on World War II . . . the area was experiencing an increase of population. Consequently, new parishes: St. Theresa in Evansville, Holy Cross in Fort Branch, and Holy Family in Jasper.
To accommodate the increasing number of youths, Mater Dei High School on the West Side of Evansville became a reality. In Vincennes, Central Catholic High School opened its doors, and in Dubois County, St. Ferdinand High School was built. Meanwhile, the elementary school at Christ the King, Evansville, was dedicated.
As the first five-year period came to a close . . . there was an increase of some 7,200 Catholics; parishes, including missions, now numbered 66, with 80 diocesan priests serving in the diocese, along with 21 of religious orders. The total enrollment in parochial schools now stood at 8,828, and there was an increase of high school students to 1,721. A very solid beginning.
1950 through 1959
In Evansville, the Catholic Theater Guild was formed, and the Catholic Information Center opened its doors; at this time the Serra Club was awarded Charter. The Council of Catholic Nurses and the Committee on Scouting had come into existence by this time. Pre-Cana Conferences were attended by couples in the Evansville and Jasper areas.
[New parishes included Holy Rosary and Resurrection in Evansville, Precious Blood in Jasper.]
This period witnessed the opening and dedication of new elementary schools at St. Joseph in Dale, Holy Family in Jasper, St. Joseph in Princeton, St. Benedict and St. Joseph in Evansville and St. John in Newburgh. . . . Several new churches were blessed too: Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt; Holy Family, Jasper; Holy Spirit, Holy Redeemer and St. Agnes, all in Evansville.
In this period the Sisters of Providence observed one hundred years of teaching service at Assumption Cathedral School in Evansville. By this time, the Poor Clares had been in the United States seventy-five years, and the parish of Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt, was celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. The early fifties welcomed the addition of a new hospital, Memorial Hospital, in Jasper, Dubois County. And the diocese cheered the ground-breaking for the new St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville.
As the curtain came down on the year 1954 . . . the Catholic population had grown to 64,000, an increase of 7,500 in the five-year period just ended. During the five years, 10 were ordained to the ranks of the diocesan clergy, making the total 89. In the elementary schools, there were 11,477 pupils, and those in the high schools numbered 2,350.
Where we are today
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Retired priests and their ministry
What do retired priests do all day? If they are within the geographical confines of the Diocese of Evansville, and if their health and circumstances permit, retired priests continue to serve in parish ministry.
Health, age and location make it impossible for others.
“There is also a sizeable number of those who have retired from administration but continue to serve so generously and faithfully as they provide the sacraments to others without the burden of administration,” said Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger in an Easter 2010 letter. “I am most grateful and so proud of them all. Without their gift of service, many faithful of our Diocese would be inconvenienced to find a neighboring parish for the sacraments.”
Bishop Gettelfinger also noted that there is “another memorable number of priests whom we must not forget. As their lives and energies wane, they need to know that we have not forgotten them.”
Following is a list of the retired priests of the diocese.
Father Clemens Hut, age 99, residing in Tempe, Arizona continues to minister to the residents in his retirement home even though in a wheelchair.
Father Jim Rogers, age 96, now resides at The Health Care Center of the Hermitage of the Benedictine Sisters in Beech Grove, Ind.
Father Adolph Egloff, 95, resides in his family home in Vincennes.
Monsignor Clinton Hirsch, age 92, now resides in Holiday Nursing Center in Evansville.
Father Robert Deig, age 85, now ministers at the Little Sisters of the Poor in Evansville.
Father Eugene Heerdink, age 84, resides in Jasper while remaining our senior Spanish speaking priest offering the sacraments daily to the Spanish Speaking members of our community.
Father Robert Wannemuehler, age 84, resides in his own home but continues to minister as Chaplain at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.
Father Sylvester Loerhlein, age 81, now resides at the Providence Home in Jasper.
Father August Busch, age 80, now resides in his own residence while serving as Chaplain to the Poor Clares and in many other ways.
Father Donald Spaulding, age 80, now residing in his own home in Cannelburg, Ind.
Father Donald Dilger, age 79, now resides in his own home but continues to give lectures on the scriptures and writes for the Message.
Father James Endress, age 75, who resides in Evansville in his own apartment but continues in a most generous way to address any sacramental needs in our diocese including the Sacraments in Spanish. (He does this all from his wheelchair!)
Father Donald Ackerman, age 75, resides in Jasper and continues to minister on weekends and Holy Days.
Father Kenneth Graehler, age 73, resides in Washington. He continues to assist in celebrating the Sacraments within the diocese.
Father Leo Kiesel, age 73, resides in Loogootee. He continues to be most generous in providing the Liturgy and the Sacraments in the Washington Deanery.
Monsignor Charles Koch, age 73, resides in Greenwood, Ind., and continues to minister there.
Father Bernard Lutz, age 72, resides in his family home in Snake Run and continues to serve at the diocesan level as the director of ministry to priests.
Father William Wargel, age 70, resides on Chigger Ridge Rd. in Dubois County while serving generously to parishes in need.
Father Earl Rohleder, age 72, resides in his home in Santa Fe and continues to minister to a parish there. He is also a “scrap metal” artist.
Father Raymond Kuper, age 72, resides in his own apartment in Evansville.
Father Theodore Tempel, age 73, omnipresent for all ministerial needs while serving as chaplain at the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. John’s Home in Evansville.
Father Ralph Schipp, age 72, lives in Santa Claus and continues to be available for weekend ministry.
Father Joseph Kane, age 69, now resides in his family home in St. Louis, Mo. He has been so generous in returning to our diocese in our need.
Father Bill Dietsch, age 66, lives in Fort Branch and continues to be available to help at parishes in the diocese.
Bishop Gettelfinger also pointed out that Father Hilary Meny, age 95, resides with his family in Haubstadt. “He is a most dear friend and priestly brother of mine of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis,” said Bishop Gettelfinger. “I am so very proud to follow his example of generous service as a brother priest. I rejoice most of all with him as he celebrates his 70th anniversary of priesthood!”
Priests for the years ahead
Seminarians Brian Emmick and Jeff Read are scheduled to be ordained to the transitional diaconate in June 2011, and to the pristhood in 2012.
Both are currently in their third year of theology at St. Meinrad Seminary. Emmick is from St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh; Read, from St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight.