Evansville Pastor Honored For Service To Parish, Community

The announcement after the Masses last weekend was huge and warmly received. Father Steve Lintzenich, longtime pastor at St. Mary Parish in Evansville, will be honored for his dedicated service to the parish and the larger community by having the ministry center named for him.

On Aug. 2, he celebrated 30 years as pastor of the downtown Evansville parish. He is planning to retire in December.

In a letter written by the Parish Council it was noted that “since our founding in 1867, no one has served as pastor for so many years. The closest in longevity was Father John C. Rager, who was pastor for 26 years and for whom Rager Hall is named.

“In your 30 years of service to St. Mary, you have exemplified the highest caliber of pastoral service. With your bright tenor voice, your short but effective homilies, and your prayerful demeanor as a presider, you have helped make us a center of liturgical vibrancy. With your friendly and engaging personality, you have personified an essential priestly quality – kindness.

“Your passion for helping the poor is well known. You have been generous in sharing your God-given gifts, not only with the parish but with the Evansville community, our diocese, the National Council of Priests, the National Pastoral Musicians Association, Rotary International, Leadership Evansville, and many more organizations too numerous to list.

“In light of your accomplishments and as a sign of our respect and affection for you, we are pleased to announce that on August 2, 2013, our parish center from that day forward will be known as Lintzenich Ministry Center.

“We believe that St. Mary has been blessed having you as pastor for three decades and we trust that this gesture will have deep meaning for you. The Lintzenich Ministry Center will stand as a permanent reminder to all, of your years of dedicated service to the parish and to the wider community.”