5 Diocesan Priests Celebrating Golden Jubilees

Five priests in the Diocese of Evansville are celebrating their golden jubilee of ordination to the priesthood today. They include Father Kenneth L. Graehler, Father Leo C. Kiesel, Msgr. Kenneth R. Knapp, Father Bernard A. Lutz and Father Earl R. Rohleder.

They were ordained to the priesthood on March 30, 1963, and each spent the next 50 years in service to the Church.

Father Graehler's first assignment was as an assistant pastor at Christ the King Church in Evansville. He also served in parishes in Boonville, Newburgh, Haubstadt, Evansville, Washington, Linton, Jasonville, Ferdinand, Rockport, Bicknell, St. Wendel and Sullivan. He taught at Reitz Memorial and Rex Mundi high schools, both in Evansville, and at Washington Catholic High School in Washington. He retired in 2002.

Father Kiesel's first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Mary Church in Evansville. He was also assigned to serve in parishes in Newburgh, Chrisney, Petersburg, Oakland City, Loogootee, Shoals and Evansville, also with an assignment as a teacher at Rex Mundi High School. He retired in 2002.

Msgr. Knapp was immediately assigned to teach at Mater Dei High School in Evansville following his ordination, with residence at St. Wendel Parish in St. Wendel. His subsequent assignments included superintendent at Washington Catholic High School, and serving at parishes in Washington, Haubstadt and Oakland City. In 1968, he became the associate director of Catholic Charities. He was then named director of the Campaign for Human Development and director of Catholic Charities Bureau. He was named a domestic prelate in 1980, and in 1981 he became the director  of the Center for Human Development in Washington, D.C. He returned to the diocese in 1984 and was named the vicar general-chancellor and moderator of the Curia.  In 1995, he began serving as the pastor at Christ the King Parish in Evansville, continuing as vicar general of the diocese. He retired in 2012.

Father Lutz was first assigned as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Vincennes. He started the Newman Center in Vincennes, serving as the chaplain there and helping to initiate the Indiana Newman Foundation. He also served at St. Vincent Orphanage and Parish in Vincennes. He started the Campus Ministry program at Indiana State University-Evansville, and served as associate pastor at St. Boniface Parish in Evansville. From 1975 to 1985, he was the diocesan coordinator of the Ministry to Higher Education. He then served at parishes in Evansville, Washington, Fort Branch and Snake Run. He was named director of ministry to priests in 2007, and retired in 2012.

Father Rohleder's first assignment was to St. Anthony Parish in Evansville. He also served at parishes in Whitfield, Daylight, Newburgh, New Harmony and Evansville, and as a chaplain at St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville. He retired in 2003.