Consultors Elect Diocesan Administrator

Meeting Aug. 1 at the Catholic Center in Evansville, priests serving as the Diocese of Evansville’s College of Consultors elected Father Bernie Etienne to serve as diocesan administrator until Pope Francis appoints the sixth Bishop of Evansville. His service as diocesan administrator begins immediately.

Father Etienne serves as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville, and he served Bishop Charles C. Thompson and the diocese as Vicar General. Father Etienne will continue as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish while he serves as diocesan administrator.

“I'm at peace with the administrator position,” Father Etienne said, “primarily because we have a great staff at the Catholic Center and I have a great staff at Holy Rosary Parish.  This responsibility does not fall completely on my shoulders.  The Priest Consultors will remain a valuable consultative body.  I trust that the Lord will sustain all of us while we wait for a new Shepherd.”

As Diocesan Administrator, Father Etienne has the obligations and powers of a diocesan bishop with the exception of those matters that are reserved specifically to a bishop (e.g. ordinations, making or changing laws and policies, etc.). When a see is vacant, nothing is to be altered; care is to be taken to maintain the status quo.

The Message will publish a detailed look at the role of a diocesan administrator, and the collective role of the priest consultors in our next all-diocesan issue, which will be published on Sept. 22.