October 8, 2010
Putting Strategic Planning into context
The First Fifty Years: Part III — The building boom
Editor’s note: This article is the sixth 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.
The Building Boom — 1955 through 1959 . . .
This period opened with the establishment of several new parishes: Good Shepherd, to accommodate the expanding East side of Evansville; and as well, Corpus Christi on the West Side was founded; in Bloomfield, the new parish of Holy Name became a reality in Greene County.
A number of new school facilities were added to the diocese at this time: St. John, Elberfeld; Holy Spirit and Holy Redeemer in Evansville; St. Simon, Washington; St. Clement, Boonville; a new addition to St. Theresa, Evansville; Corpus Christi, Evansville; Precious Blood, Jasper; St. Wendel, Posey County; St. Mary, Ireland; St. Joseph, Vanderburgh County; and a major addition to secondary education in Evansville, Rex Mundi High School.
Also in this period, new structures for divine worship were blessed and dedicated: Blessed Sacrament, Oakland City; Holy Cross, Fort Branch; Corpus Christi, Evansville; Holy Trinity, Evansville; Precious Blood, Jasper; St. John, Newburgh; and Good Shepherd, Evansville.
At Vincennes, the Catholic Community Center began its operation. St. Vincent de Paul Salvage Bureau began to function in Evansville and Jasper. And at about this same time, the Catholic Federation for Special Children was formed.
In 1957 the new Chancery Building in Evansville was dedicated and began to function as the central office of the diocese.
On adjoining properties on the East Side of Evansville, two new health care institutions, St. Mary’s Hospital and, the diocesan built (albeit amid differences of opinion), Regina Pacis Home, opened their doors to patients in the middle years of this period. (It should be noted that at a later date, Regina Pacis would be conveyed to the Daughters of Charity for its continuing operation.)
While the diocese was engaged in the process of preparing and conducting its Second Synod (1958), centennials were observed at St. Matthew parish in Mount Vernon, and at Mary, Help of Christians in Mariah Hill.
By the end of this five-year period, the diocese was fifteen years old and had grown considerably, now numbering almost 70,000 members, served by 101 diocesan priests, 42 men religious, and 465 women religious. The total number of students in Catholic schools (elementary and secondary) had climbed to 18,400.
Catholic Schools: History continues to be written
Consolidation: Some, not all succeed
Ascension School
St. Anthony School in Evansville opened in 1888 and continued to operate until 1987. St. Anthony and St. Joseph School in Evansville (established in 1906) were consolidated as Ascension School, kindergarten through grade 5, with older students going to either Westside Catholic or St. Benedict School. Ascension School, located at St. Anthony facilities, lasted just one year, and closed in 1988.
Vincennes Schools
Vincennes Catholic schooling dates back to 1792; in the twentieth century, schools included St. Rose Academy, which opened in 1964 and then in 1970-71 merged with Central Catholic. Flaget Elementary was opened in 1954 and is currently a Pre-K to grade 5 school, with 225 students (2009-10 statistics). Rivet Middle and High School, with its origin in 1792, currently serves grade 6 through 12 with 198 students (2090-10 statistics).
Westside Catholic
Three parish schools consolidated in 1974, and continue to serve students and their families on Evansville’s west side. The Sacred Heart building, pre-K, has 43 students; the St. Agnes building, K-grade 4, has 94 students, and the St. Boniface building, grades 5 through 8, has 87 students (all according to the 2009-10 statistics.)
Washington Catholic
St. Simon, Washington, which opened in 1837, consolidated with St. Mary School in 1973. Pre-K to grade 5 enrollment was 280 students in 2009-10. Washington Catholic Middle and High School, grades six through 12, has 144 students (2009-10 statistics).
Private schools
The Sisters of St. Benedict at Ferdinand opened St. Benedict College in 1914, which continued until 1970. The sisters also operated Marian Heights Academy, a private Catholic school, from 1980 to 2003. John Paul the Great High School opened as a private Catholic school in Jasper in 2009.