January 13, 2012
Clergy appointments announced for parishes, diocesan post
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Parish staffing announcements were made last weekend affecting parishes in the Vincennes, Washington and Evansville East deaneries, and a new appointment has been announced for a diocesan position.
The appointments by Bishop Charles C. Thompson were announced in the affected parishes Jan. 7 and 8.
- Father Jason Gries, currently pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Vincennes and St. Philip Neri Church in Bicknell, has been named pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight, effective Feb. 1.
- Father David Martin, previously serving as pastor of the parish in Daylight, has been named associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Vincennes and St. Philip Neri Church in Bicknell, effective Feb. 1.
- Father David Fleck has been appointed administrator pro tempore (temporary administrator, until further arrangements are made in June 2012) of Sacred Heart and St. Philip Neri, while continuing as pastor of St. John the Baptist and St. Vincent de Paul churches in Vincennes and Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Petersburg, effective Feb. 1.
- Father Philip Kreilein has been named by Bishop Thompson as Diocesan Director of Continuing Education: Ministry to Priests. Father Kreilein continues as pastor of Resurrection Church, Evansville. He also serves as chair of the diocesan Council of Priests. As director of continuing education for priests, he follows Father Bernie Lutz, a retired priest of the diocese who held the position since May 2007. The position involves organizing various opportunities for retreats, convocations and programs for priestly education and formation.
- Deacon David Seibert has been appointed as Director of the Diocesan Office of the Per-manent Diaconate, effective immediately. He will continue to serve as Pastoral Life Coor-dinator of St. Theresa Church, Evansville. He succeeds Father Jean Vogler, who retired in September after having served in the diaconate position since 2001. Deacon Seibert’s service includes members of the Permanent Diaconate community, those seeking candidacy and those in formation.
Brief biographical information
Father Jason Gries, 34, is the son of Bernard and Darla Gries, members of St. Joseph Church in Vanderburgh County. He was ordained June 5, 2004. His assignments have included associate pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Newburgh (2004) and of Holy Redeemer Church in Evansville (2006). He was named to the parishes in Bicknell and Vincennes in January 2008.
Father David Martin, 61, is a native of Cynthiana. He was ordained May 14, 1976. His assignments have included parish and school positions throughout the diocese, including teaching at Mater Dei High School in Evansville and later as Director of Religious Programs at Mater Dei. His most recent parish assignment was his October 2010 appointment to St. John Church in Daylight.
Father David Fleck, 62, is a native of Huntingburg. He was ordained Sept. 5, 1975. Along with parish and school positions, Father Fleck’s ministry included leading the diocesan vocation office. Father Fleck was pastor of St. Philip Church in Posey County from 1991 to 2004, when he was assigned to Vincennes. He is Dean of the Vincennes Deanery.
Father Philip Kreilein, 63, a Jasper native, was ordained June 2, 1974. His assignments have included parish and high school teaching in Evansville and Washington, and as pastor of parishes in Fort Branch, Ferdinand and Jasper. He has served as pastor of Resurrection since July 2002.
Deacon David Seibert and his wife, Melanie, live in newburgh. Deacon Seibert, 56, was ordained July 9, 2005 and his first assignment included be-ing assistant director of the Per-manent Diaconate. His parish assignments have included Holy Rosary Church and St. Theresa Church, both in Evansville.
Parish information
St. Philip Neri Church, a Knox County parish in the Vincennes Deanery, has 126 families or 276 parishioners, according to the diocesan yearbook.
Sacred Heart Church in Vincennes, also in the Vincennes Deanery, has 574 families, or 1,472 total parishioners. it is one of the Vincennes-area parishes operating Flaget Elementary and Rivet Junior and Senior High School.
St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight has 597 families, or 1,742 individual parishioners. The parish, located in northern Vanderburgh County, is in the Evansville East Deanery