Pioneer Of The Diocesan Latino Ministry Dies At 92

Father Eugene F. Heerdink, an Evansville native and pioneer of the Diocese of Evansville’s ministry to the Latino community, died April 13 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He was 92.

Bishop Joseph M. Siegel concelebrated a Mass of Christian Burial for Father Heerdink on April 17 at St. Benedict Cathedral I Evansville. Concelebrants included Bishop-Emeritus Gerald A Gettelfinger, Benedictine Father Kurt Stasiak, Archabbot of St. Meinrad Archabbey, and more than 40 priests of the diocese. Father Ray Brenner, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Jasper and Dean of the East Deanery, served as homilist.

Seven permanent deacons served as pallbearers, including: Dennis Hilderbrand, Thomas Holworth, John Huether, James King, John McMullen, Earl Ruppel and James Woebkenberg.

In his homily, Father Brenner spoke of Father Heerdink’s wonderful sense of humor. “We talked a little bit last night about Father Gene’s sense of humor,” he said, referring to April 16 visitation at St. Joseph Parish in Japer. “I think a little bit of that came out in the fact that he let it snow on the evening we had visitation, and then he gets buried on ‘tax day.’”

Father Brenner talked about Father Heerdink’s pioneering work across the diocese in ministry to the Latino community. He recalled a time when, every week, Father Heerdink would drive 90 miles in just a few hours in order to celebrate Mass in Dale (Spencer County), Washington (Daviess County) and Jasper (Dubois County).

He also highlighted Father Heerdink’s 10-year effort to bring Catholic radio to the diocese. “The call letters of the station are WTJW … We Trust Jesus’ Word,” he said.

Father Brenner added that Father Heerdink was a great leader for the Latino community, and also for everyone he served across the diocese throughout his years of ministry. “He truly lived out the Gospel where Jesus says, ‘I came down from Heaven not to do my own will, but the will of the one who sent me’” (John 6:38).

Father Heerdink was born in Evansville on Jan. 23, 1926, to William and Olivia (Fromm) Heerdink.

He attended St. Meinrad Seminary in St, Meinrad. Bishop Henry J. Grimmelsman ordained him a priest of the Diocese of Evansville on May 19, 1951.

Father Heerdink’s priestly assignments included Assistant, St. Joseph Parish, Evansville, 1951; assistant St. John the Baptist Parish, Vincennes, 1952; assistant, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Evansville, 1957; administrator, then assistant, Holy Redeemer Parish, 1958; administrator, St. Martin Parish, Whitfield, 1959; pastor, Holy Name Parish, Bloomfield, 1959; pastor, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Loogootee, 1964; pastor, St. Matthew Parish, Mount Vernon, 1969; five-year leave from the diocese for mission service in South America, 1979; pastor, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Oakland City, 1985; five-year leave from the diocese for mission service in South America, 1987; pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Dale, 1992. Father Heerdink retired from active ministry in June 2008.

Father Heerdink pioneered diocesan ministry to the Latino community. He served as coordinator of the Diocesan Apostolate to Spanish Speaking beginning in 1992, and as director of the Diocesan Ministry to Spanish Speaking beginning in 1999. Father Heerdink also played a significant role in bringing Catholic radio station WTJW 93.1 FM to Jasper in 2014.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include a brother, William, of Evansville; and a sister, Mary Woods, of Washington, Ind.

Interment in St. Joseph Cemetery in Evansville followed the Mass of Christian Burial.