November 12, 2010
Putting Strategic Planning into context
The First Fifty Years: Part VIII — Settling and steady
Editor’s note: This article is the eleventh in a series examining the Catholic Church in southwestern Indiana and its leadership amd also the trends in the church and in the larger society. The history of the Diocese of Evansville: The First Fifty Years, was written by Msgr. Clinton Hirsch, the first priest —- along with Father Raymond Reising — to be ordained by the first bishop of Evansville, Bishop Henry J. Grimmelsman. Edited excerpts of “The First Fifty Years” are used below in in preceding portions of this series. (Download this story as a PDF | See other articles in the series)
1980 to 1984: Settling in . . .
This period began with the observance of Bishop Francis R. Shea’s Tenth Anniversary, on February 3rd, of his Ordination and Installation as the Third Bishop of Evansville.
In the summer of 1980, the Daughters of Charity observed the 150th anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady to St. Catherine Laboure. This observance was held at Mater Dei Provincial House in Evansville. Also during this period, the Daughters of Charity celebrated the 350th Anniversary of their Founding.
In the early 1980s other anniversaries were observed: the 100th Anniversary of St. Joseph Church, Jasper, as well as St. Boniface Church, Evansville, and St. Clement Church, Boonville. Likewise, the Blessing of Resurrection Church, Evansville, and St. Mary Church, Sullivan took place in this period. Meanwhile, the Little Sisters of the Poor marked the centenary of service to the care of the Poor and the Aged in Evansville, at St. John’s Home. Also, Mary, Help of Christians Parish, Mariah Hill, celebrated 125 years of existence. At about the same time, St. Mary Church, Daviess County, observed its 150th Anniversary.
The Sesquicentennial celebration of the establishment of the Diocese of Indianapolis was taking place at the Old Cathedral, Vincennes.
In 1983, Bishop Francis R. Shea traveled to Rome for the ad limina visit. At which time, the bishop reported to the Holy Father on the status of religion in the Diocese of Evansville. A short time thereafter the Diocesan Holy Year Observance took place at the Vanderburgh County Auditorium.
The Poor Clares moved from the Kentucky Avenue location to the new Monastery on the West Side of Evansville, and the dedication of the new facility took place. Also, St. John Church, Elberfeld, was relocated in Daylight with new church buildings and facilities.
As the Diocese reached the middle eighties, a steady growth could be recognized: the number of the faithful now totaled 87,390, in an overall population of 466,821 (1980 census). There were 401 women religious engaged in a variety of apostolates, along with 92 diocesan priests active in the diocese, and 13 men religious; permanent deacons numbered 21. High school enrollment now stood at 1,584, and 4,806 attending parochial elementary schools. Seminarians for the Diocese totaled 14.
1985 to 1989: Steady Progress . . .
In 1985 Catholic Schools Week was observed in the Diocese from February 3rd through February 8th. In the same month, St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight was dedicated, and St. Henry Church, in rural Ferdinand, celebrated its 125th Anniversary.
In this period, the Most Reverend Daniel Buechlein, a Jasper native, was ordained and installed as the Bishop of Memphis. Priests of the diocese gathered at Kentucky Lake for a Convocation.
The 125th Anniversary was celebrated at St. Mary Church, Huntingburg in the spring of 1986; St. Benedict Church, Evansville, was observing its 75th Anniversary in the Spring of 1988; and at about the same time St. Anthony Church, Evansville, and St. Michael Church, Daviess County, were celebrating their 100th Anniversary.
Reverend Monsignor Gerald A. Gettelfinger of Indianapolis was named the Fourth Bishop of Evansville, March 11, 1989; his ordination and installation took place at St. Benedict Church, Evansville, on April 11th.
Retired Bishop Francis R. Shea observed the 50th Anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, March 19th; the celebration was held at Holy Rosary Church, Evansville.
Catholic Schools in the Diocese participated in “Celebrating the Tradition” at Roberts Municipal Stadium, Evansville, in April of the same year, 1989. In this period, Phyllis Beshears, M.A., was appointed Director of Schools.
As the five year period was drawing to a close there were realities to be reckoned with . . . The total Catholic population was 82,125; (the total was 87,390 in 1985). Reception into the Church by Profession of Faith was 164 as differentiated from 142 in the year 1985. There were 86 diocesan priests active in the Diocese and 11 men religious; at that time there were 356 women religious in the Diocese. The number of permanent deacons had risen to 26, while the number of seminarians stood at 19.
Benedictine priests serve parishes in the diocese
Three Benedictine monks from St. Meinrad Archabbey are parish pastors in the diocese.
Benedictine Father Gregory Chamberlin, 72, is pastor of St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville.
Benedictine Father Damian Schmelz, 78, is pastor of St. Henry Church, St. Henry.
Benedictine Father Mark O’Keefe, 54, is pastor of St. Mary Church, Huntingburg.
Church operates under civil law and canon law
Throughout the United States, archdiocesan and diocesan plans for parishes are being developed as populations shift and other changes take place.
Some changes in corporate structures are also taking place within the Catholic Church. In the Diocese of Evansville, the St. Vincent de Paul district councils now operate as separate non-profit corporations.
Other dioceses have taken larger steps, including the Diocese of Phoenix and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
According to a report in the Criterion, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis recently moved to have each of its parishes recognized as separate, non-profit corporations — a restructuring process that aligns its civil law structure with its already established canonical structure.
While the move is designed to provide greater legal clarity about the relationship between the archdiocese and its parishes, it will have minimal impact on the day-to-day operations of parishes, according to archdiocesan officials.
“I don’t think it really changes anything, but it does help people understand the rights and responsibilities of a parish, a parish’s pastor, the archbishop and the archdiocese,” said Jeffrey Stumpf, the chief financial officer of the archdiocese. “Parish members should not notice any changes. Parish leaders will have a little more documentation to take care of.”
The connection between a parish and the archdiocese won’t change either, according to John “Jay” Mercer, the attorney for the archdiocese.
“The archdiocese still retains the hierarchical structure required by canon law and recognizes the archbishop as the principal pastoral officer entrusted with the care of the diocese,” explained Mercer, who filed the paperwork for the parishes’ incorporation with the Indiana Secretary of State’s office on Oct. 28.
Archdiocesan agencies and high schools were incorporated in June of 2009.
In anticipation of the restructuring, Stumpf and Mercer met with pastors and parish leaders across the archdiocese to discuss the process. One of the tools they used is a set of “Frequently Asked Questions,” starting with the reason why parishes in the archdiocese are being separately incorporated.
The answer to that question reads, “According to canon [Church] law, every parish in the archdiocese has its own unique set of rights and responsibilities, including the right to hold and administer Church property. Under our current civil structure, however, parishes have no recognized legal identity, and thus no right to buy, sell, hold or administer their own property.
As part of its incorporation, each parish will be required to have a board of directors with the pastor, priest administrator or priest moderator serving as the chairman of the board.
The board will also have to have at least one annual meeting and be required to file an annual report with the Indiana Secretary of State.
The action in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis is similar to action taken in Phoenix in 2008.
According to a diocesan newspaper report from Phoenix, that diocese had been “a corporate sole — a legal entity consisting of a single incorporated office occupied by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted.” The change in structure meant that each individual parish became a separate, non-profit corporation.
At the time, Father Fred Adamson, vicar general and moderator of the Phoenix curia, described the situation in this way: “While this is a civil restructuring, we cannot forget who we are as Church.” He went on to say, “The way the Church structures itself provides a great deal of autonomy at the parish level to minister to the local needs of the people of God.”
The diocesan newspaper report noted that under the former civil structure, Bishop Olmsted was listed as the property owner of all parish assets in trust for the given parish. But in actual practice, as prescribed by canon law, the pastor makes almost all decisions at the parish level.