Diocese Celebrates St. Maria Goretti Youth Distinction
St. John the Evangelist Parish in Daylight hosted the 2019 St. Maria Goretti Youth Distinction on March 17. Bishop Joseph M. Siegel concelebrated Mass with 10 priests of the Diocese of Evansville, then recognized 54 young people from across the diocese for their outstanding contributions to the life, mission and ministry they provide to their family, parish, school and community.
The group included the late Joshua Schaefer of Evansville’s Holy Redeemer Parish, who lost his life in a tragic Feb. 11 auto accident on Indiana Highway 57 in Northern Vanderburgh County. His brother Aaron accepted the honor for his late brother. A full list of the 2019 honorees appears below.
Bishop Siegel encouraged the honorees to always look to St. Maria’s example of courage and faithfulness when they face struggles in their lives, when they are tempted to take the easy path and go against what they know is right.
He noted in his homily that human nature leads us to often look for an easy way to a relationship with God. He explained that the apostles were no different, which is why Christ consistently reminded them that his glory would not come from power and kingship on earth. He came as a servant of God whose suffering, death and resurrection would free all from sin.
He even provided a brief look at his glory as the Son of God through the Transfiguration, which the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 9: 28-36) recounts. The bishop explained that the path to that eternal glory, for us, involves following Jesus by taking up our crosses daily – as St. Maria did.
Bishop Siegel said that Saint Maria accepted the crosses of her life with patience and hope, with a level of spiritual maturity far beyond her years. She was filled with joy despite all the hardships, he said. Her hope and joy were founded in her deep and abiding faith, nourished by her prayer – especially in receiving Holy Communion and the sacrament of reconciliation.
The bishop observed that St. Maria’s deep relationship with Jesus enabled her to stand up for her beliefs and morals even at the risk of her life – and then to forgive her attacker even as she suffered tremendously on her deathbed.
The bishop told the honorees that he hoped the example and intercession of St. Maria will help them to be strong in their commitments to Christ and his Church, and that they will be witnesses to the Lord by lives of loving service, always grounded in their relationship with Jesus through the Eucharist, the sacrament of reconciliation and their personal prayer.
He told the young people that their families, parishes and the diocese are proud of them and believe they will accomplish great things in their lives as they continue to put their Catholic faith into action through whatever vocation God has called them.
Bishop Siegel closed with the wish that St. Maria pray and watch over them in the years ahead.
St. Maria Goretti Youth Distinction Honorees
The following young people received the Diocese of Evansville’s St. Maria Goretti Youth Distinction following Mass on March 17 at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Daylight. Bishop Joseph M. Siegel concelebrated the Mass with 10 priests of the Diocese of Evansville, and he recognized the honoree following Mass. They include:
Emily Abernathy, St. Wendel Parish, St. Wendel; Nicholas A. Bell, St. Joseph Parish, Jasper; Kristen Benkert, St. James Parish, Haubstadt; Brenden Bittner, St. James Parish, Haubstadt; Noah Blankenberger, St. Wendel Parish, St. Wendel; Tyson Brandt, St. Joseph Parish, Jasper; Connor Brown, St. Philip Parish, Posey County; Eli Christopher Carie, St. Philip Neri Parish, Bicknell; Jordan Daming, St. Bernard Parish, Rockport;
Camren Dollison, Good Shepherd Parish, Evansville; Molly Durchholz, Good Shepherd Parish, Evansville; Zebulon Etienne, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Dale; Lindsey Field, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Haubstadt; Austin Fortune, St. Clement Parish, Boonville; Emma “Claire” Fox, Holy Rosary Parish, Evansville; Kelly Garcia, Our Lady of Hope Parish, Washington; Mark A. Garman, St. Matthew Parish, Mount Vernon; Emma Goebel, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Poseyville;
Joseph Hurst, Divine Mercy Parish, St. Anthony; Abbie Keen, Holy Redeemer Parish, Evansville; Grant Keller, Precious Blood Parish, Jasper; Josie Kirsch, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Daylight; Travis Kirsch, St. Boniface Parish, Evansville; Katie Kixmiller, St. Philip Neri Parish, Bicknell; Jarod Knust, Divine Mercy Parish, St. Anthony; Kyle J. Krieger, St. Matthew Parish, Mount Vernon; Aubrey Christine Mayer, St. Joseph Parish, Princeton;
Claire Mehling, Christ the King Parish, Ferdinand; Mia Mitchell, Resurrection Parish, Evansville; Theodore Mitz, St. John the Baptist Parish, Newburgh; Cooper Motz, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Poseyville; Colten Mouzin, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Vincennes; Brendan Murphy, Holy Cross Parish, Fort Branch; Skylar Niles, St. Martin I Parish, Chrisney; Hugh Rock, Annunciation Parish, Evansville; Katie Rose, Holy Cross Parish, Fort Branch;
Teresa Rumps, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Daylight; Ashley Sander, St. Mary Parish, Ireland; Mackenzie Sargent, Precious Blood Parish, Jasper; Joshua Schaefer, Holy Redeemer Parish, Evansville (posthumous recognition); Aaron Hannah Schepers, St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, Celestine; Jacob Schneider, Corpus Christi Parish, Evansville; Claire Schnell, St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, Celestine; Alexis M. Schroeder, St. John the Baptist Parish, Newburgh; Kayla Schulte, St. Bernard Parish, Rockport;
Jacquelyn Shots, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Vincennes; Aubrey Singer, Corpus Christi Parish, Evansville; Andrew Smith, St. Bernard Parish, Snake Run; Cameron Spindler, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Haubstadt; Luke Summerlot, Holy Family Parish, Jasper; Karlie Tischendorf, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Dale; Miguel Turnbaugh, Annunciation Parish, Evansville; Mallory Weber, St. Philip Parish, Posey County; Alex Weyer, Christ the King Parish, Ferdinand.
