Bishop Ordains John Pfister And Jerry Pratt Jr. As Priests

Bishop Charles C. Thompson ordained John Pfister, a son of Holy Cross Parish in Fort Branch, and Jerry Pratt Jr., a son of Good Shepherd Parish in Evansville, to the priesthood on June 3 at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville.

More than 45 priests of the Diocese of Evansville and from elsewhere concelebrated, and more than a dozen permanent deacons of the diocese assisted.

“We thank the Pfister and Pratt families for their gifts to us,” Bishop Thompson said. A full text of his homily appears beginning on page 5 of this issue.

Father Pratt celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. CT on June 4 at Good Shepherd. Father Father Peter Marshall of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis served as homilist. Father Marshall is assigned to St. Meinrad as Director of Spiritual Formation and newly named as Director of the Institute for Priests and Presbyterates.

Father Pfister celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving at 2 p.m. on June 4 at his home parish, Holy Cross in Fort Branch. Father Benny Alikandayil Chacko, associate pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes, served as homilist.

Father Pfister will serve as Associate Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Newburgh effective June 14. Father Pratt will serve as Associate Pastor of Good Shepherd, also effective June 14.