Around The Diocese For August 11, 2017

Happy birthday!

Donald Haag, retired deacon of the Diocese of Evansville, celebrates his birthday on August 19.

Audrey Talbert, dean of students at Washington Catholic High School and Middle School, celebrates her birthday on August 19.

James Flynn, retired deacon of the Diocese of Evansville, celebrates his birthday on August 20.

Kathy Gallo, Director of Catechesis for the Diocese of Evansville, celebrates her birthday on August 21.

Lisa Foster, parish catechetical leader at All Saints Parish in Evansville, celebrates her birthday on August 21.

Tyler Lehman, principal at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Jasper, celebrates his birthday on August 22.

Happy anniversary!

Father Pascal Nduka, chaplain of Mater Dei High School in Evansville and associate pastor of Annunciation Parish, was ordained to the priesthood Aug. 17, 1996.

Father John Breidenbach, priest of the Diocese of Evansville, was ordained to the priesthood August 21, 1987.

Father Michael Madden, retired priest of the Diocese of Evansville, was ordained to the priesthood August 22, 1975.

St. Vincent Center for Children and Families receives national recognition

In June, Leading for Children, a national organization whose mission focuses on empowering early childhood educators to realize the goal of improving outcomes for young children recognized St. Vincent Center for Children and Families for their innovative compensation philosophy and structure. The agency shares and recognizes continuous quality improvement strategies and exemplary early learning practices.

The idea began with identifying barriers which limit the center’s ability to attract and retain high-quality teaching faculty and then recognizing the negative impact those barriers could have on positive early experiences and outcomes for children. Together, the ministry’s board of trustees and their sponsor, the Daughters of Charity worked with administrative staff to design and implement a new compensation structure.  

The new salary structure has resulted in:

• self-reported decreases in personal economic stress for teachers

• observable increases in teachers’ focus on providing positive learning experiences for children in their care

• decreased faculty turnover and full staffing of faculty positions

• teachers taking a greater interest in their ongoing professional development and attainment of higher education

In the award notification, Leading for Children noted that the ministry was chosen as a winner because their innovative idea was vitally important in recognizing and justly compensating the work of dedicated early learning professionals. Additionally,they stated that the“idea is an example of systemic change, which is likely to result in a long-term positive impact on teacher-child and teacher-parent relationships and an improved quality of learning experiences for children and families.”

Janet Ann Werne named Saint Meinrad honorary alumna

Janet Ann Werne, associate director of alumni relations at Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary and School of Theology, has been named an honorary alumna by the Saint Meinrad Alumni Association Board of Directors. The announcement was made July 31, during the 89th annual Alumni Reunion at St. Meinrad.

The honor was conferred on Ms. Werne in recognition of her 50-year career in advancing the mission of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary and School of Theology, in appreciation for the countless hours given toward its success, and in gratitude for numerous friendships forged with the alumni of Saint Meinrad.

Ms. Werne, of St. Henry, IN, has worked for the Saint Meinrad Archabbey Development Office for 50 years.

Honorary membership in the Saint Meinrad Alumni Association is reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions affecting the alumni of Saint Meinrad and has been conferred only six previous times.