Campaign Clergy Committee Leadership Looking To The Future
Twelve priests of the Diocese of Evansville are serving on the Campaign Clergy Committee for “Stewards of God’s Grace,” the shared parish-diocesan campaign that will run in three waves for the next 21 months.
Members of the Clergy Committee include Father Bernie Etienne, pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville and Diocesan Vicar General; Father Dusty Burns, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Evansville and St. Philip Parish in Posey County; Father Tony Ernst, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Fort Branch, St. James Parish in Haubstadt, and Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Haubstadt (He also serves as Dean of the West Deanery); Father Paul Ferguson, pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Washington; Father Dave Fleck, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes, administrator of St. Philip Neri Parish in Bicknell and Dean of the North Deanery; Father Ryan Hilderbrand, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Huntingburg; Father Jim Koressel, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Montgomery; Father Phil Kreilein, pastor of Resurrection Parish in Evansville and Dean of the South Deanery; Father Bernie Lutz, retired priest of the Diocese of Evansville; Father Bill Traylor, associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Jasper; Father Kenneth Walker, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Loogootee and Diocesan Judicial Vicar; and Father Alex Zenthoefer, pastor of Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Evansville and Diocesan Director of Vocations.
Following are comments regarding “Stewards of God’s Grace” from members of the Clergy Committee.
Father Tony Ernst – “God has blessed us abundantly in our diocese with so many great people and great parishes. ‘Stewards of God’s Grace’ is a wonderful opportunity for Catholics in our diocese to come together and support the larger mission of our Church, while at the same time strengthen our own individual parishes. Our contributions to this campaign will assist a multitude of ministries and have a big impact on the future of our Church. May God continue to bless us and make us good stewards of His many gifts.”
Father Dave Fleck – “I view the campaign as very important for parishes and our diocese. It will enable our parishes to take on some projects that have been put on the back burner for a number of years. As a result, they will take a real step forward and keep themselves in growing mode. ‘Stewards of God’s Grace’ will continue to enhance many elements of our parish community. Our diocese also will continue to grow and develop programs – especially to serve the poor. The campaign will provide the opportunity for the diocese to reach out in even greater ways to serve the needs of our people.”
Father Phil Kreilein – “There comes a time when parishes realize that there are items that are needed to further their mission. That time has come for many parishes. Through this ‘Stewards of God's Grace’ campaign, many of the parish and diocesan projects can be accomplished.”
The campaign’s initial wave includes eight parishes: Good Shepherd in Evansville, Holy Family in Jasper, Precious Blood in Jasper, St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville, St. Francis Xavier in Poseyville, St. Joseph in Jasper, St. Mary in Ireland and St. Wendel in St. Wendel. The Message will publish the roster of parishes involved in wave Nos. 2, 3 and 4 as they are about to begin.
Wave 2 is scheduled for the spring of 2017, Wave 3 is schedule to begin in the fall of 2017, and Wave 4 is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2018.
Funds raised during Stewards of God’s Grace will be shared between the parishes and diocese on a 50-50 basis. Wave 1 pastors are working with their parish leadership and are discerning their parish’s upcoming needs to identify how funds will best be used in their communities.
In addition to addressing local parish needs, “Stewards of God’s Grace” seeks to provide funding for seminarians and priests, Catholic education and faith formation, and social outreach. For example, the campaign seeks to raise $3 million just for endowments focusing on priestly vocations ($2 million to fund an endowment for seminarian education) and priests ($1 million to fund endowments for retired priests, continuing education for priests, sabbaticals for priests, and for a priest-aid fund).
The campaign prayer has been distributed to all of our parishes. It is available in English and Spanish. Prayer cards will be used at Masses, and quantities are available for families to take home. Parishes in the first wave will recite the campaign prayer weekly during their campaign implementation (September through December). Our other parishes have been asked to say the campaign prayer once per month during this same period, in support of the parishes in Wave 1. This rotation of parishes praying the campaign prayer on a weekly/monthly basis will continue throughout the remaining 21 months in support of all campaign waves.
The Message will provide regular coverage of Stewards of God’s Grace through early summer of 2018, when the final wave of the campaign wraps up. You also will find the campaign prayer (in English and Spanish) in several issues of the paper each year.
