March 4, 2011
To honor Father Gregory, ‘center point’ of St. Benedict parish and school
The National Catholic Educational Association will present the Distinguished Pastor Award to Benedictine Father Gregory Chamberlin at its annual convention April 26-28 in New Orleans.
Father Gregory is pastor of St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville, where he has served for 17 years, and is the “center point” of the school, said Benedictine Sister Karlene Sensmeier, principal of the school. “His leadership and presence at St. Ben’s are recruiting tools for the school.”
Every morning at 7:35, Father Chamberlin greets students, welcoming them and calling them by name, and most every afternoon he stands with the crossing guards to send them home.
The awards were established by NCEA’s Department of Ele-mentary Schools executive committee in 2007 to acknowledge the exceptional contributions and leadership of pastors.
“The support of pastors is essential to maintaining excellent Catholic schools,” said De La Salle Brother Robert Bimon-te, executive director, NCEA Department of Elementary Schools.
“The majority of our 7,000 Catholic elementary schools are parish based. Beyond the tre-mendous financial support necessary to support these schools, pastors provide spiritual leadership to students and faculty that sustains and strengthens these schools — and preserves them for the next generation of students.”
Brother Bimonte said eight priests are being honored this year, but “This award reflects the recognition and gratitude that we owe all priests for their leadership and support of Catholic schools.”
The additional seven 2011 Distinguished Pastor Award recipients are:
Msgr. Gregory Gier, Holy Family Cathedral Parish and School, Tulsa, Diocese of Tulsa.
Fr. John Haney, St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin Parish and School, Pittsburgh, Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Father Gordon Kalil, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School, Napa, Calif., Diocese of Santa Rosa.
Msgr. Louis F. Kihneman, III, Sacred Heart Church and School, Rockport, Texas, Diocese of Cor-pus Christi.
Father Ronald J. Lewinski, St. Mary of the Assumption Parish and Frassati Catholic Academy, Mundelein, Ill., Archdiocese of Chicago.
Father Arthur J. Proulx, Na-tivity Catholic Parish and School, Brandon, Fla., Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Holy Cross Father Neil Wack, Christ the King Catholic Parish and School, South Bend, Ind., Diocese of Fort Wayne/South Bend.