July 1, 2011
New bishop of Evansville calls Christians to holiness
Bishop-elect Charles C. Thompson prepares to enter St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, ahead of Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, whom he will succeed as chief shepherd of the Diocese of Evansville. (Message photo by Peewee Vasquez) Click for a larger version.
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Editor’s note: This issue of the Message includes the celebration of Evening Prayer on Tuesday, June 28. The Message will provide coverage of the Ordination and Installation of Bishop Charles C. Thompson in the issue to be published July 8.
The new bishop spoke of the Christian’s call to holiness, beginning with a smile.
In his first time to speak to the assembled Church of Southwestern Indiana, Bishop-elect Charles C. Thompson stepped up to the ambo and commented on his first impression of his Episcopal vestments.
“I have not worn so many layers of clothing since I went sledding as a child,” he said with a smile.
He said when he was a child, his parents complimented him on learning quickly to tie his own shoes.
Now, he went on, “People have to help me get dressed, and the diocesan staff have figuratively helped me to tie my shoes.”
Bishop-elect Thompson preached the homily at Evening Prayer, celebrated at St. Benedict Cathedral on the evening before his ordination as the Fifth Bishop of Evansville.
The congregation included many priests and parish leaders, diocesan staff, a youth group and Bishop Thompson’s family and friends.
At the altar was Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, who presided at the service, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein and Auxiliary Bishop Christopher Coyne of Indianapolis and Bishop William Medley of Owensboro.
His homily focused on the “call within a call” that a Christian receives from God.
St. Peter and St. Paul were called to be Apostles, he pointed out, but within that calling was the “call to holiness.” Wednesday, the day of Bishop Thompson’s ordination, was the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
On Tuesday evening, Bishop Thompson addressed his homily to all the members of the church.
“The world desperately needs us to live according to the call to holiness. Amid the scandal of multiple wars throughout the globe, countless atrocities against human life, devastation of natural disasters, consequences of the various forms of addiction, growing sense of isolation, scars of abuse, cycles of guilt and fear, mounting threats to family life and humanity’s ongoing search for meaning and purpose, the world needs reason for hope. Christianity offers the unique interplay of faith and reason that enables us to realize such hope. The cause for this hope is not in human merit but in the divine presence that dwells within and among us. It is through our embrace of the call to holiness that gives witness to the power of this divine presence as work in bringing light out of darkness, order out of chaos, victory out of defeat, reconciliation out of condemnation and life from death.”
At the conclusion of his comments, Bishop-elect Thompson returned to Sts. Peter and Paul.
“Like these great apostles, we are set apart to proclaim the gospel by word and deed. This proclamation is grounded in the call to holiness. Holiness, in turn, finds expression in our worship of God and service to neighbor.”
In the last pew at St. Benedict Cathedral — and therefore in place to be the first to see Bishop-elect Thompson in the entrance procession — were Teri and Darryl Isaacs.
They are parishioners of Holy Trinity Church in Louisville, where Father Thompson was most recently the pastor.
“He’s wonderful,” said Teri Isaacs.
“The Diocese of Evansville is very lucky,” her husband added.
Archbishop Buechlein, recovering from a stroke, was unable to participate as fully as he would have liked in the ordinationrelated ceremonies, but insisted on being present.
A reporter mentioned that Bishop-elect Thompson frequently tells how he was on his way to visit Archbishop Buechlein when he received the bishopappointment call from the papal nuncio. Archbishop Buechlein smiled and said, “He’s a very good friend.”
Father Robert Deig, a retired priest of the diocese, attended the service. Father Deig has been in active ministry with all four of the previous bishops.
The single most notable quality of the First Bishop, Henry J. Grimmelsman, was “strength.”
Bishop Paul F. Leibold was in the diocese just four years, and about him, Father Deig had no word or phrase that came to mind.
The quality he noted for Bishop Francis R. Shea was “very benevolent.” And for Bishop Gettelfinger, “a good, faithful servant.”
As for the brand new Bishop Thompson? “Looks good,” said Father Deig.