Retiring Evansville Pastor: 'everyone Is Welcome'

There are two things you should know about Father Steve Lintzenich. He loves the sacraments, and he believes that there is a place for everyone in the Catholic Church.

Father Lintzenich retired Jan. 8 from active ministry in the Diocese of Evansville. He had just turned 66, and he still remembers the gentle nudging he felt, the quiet call he heard to the priesthood when he was a young boy.

He answered that call by heading to St. Meinrad Seminary for high school. It was the early 1960s, and his dad, Henry, had recently died. His mom, Dorothy, was supportive of his decision, yet offered these comforting words: "The back door is always open."

His mom kept telling him it was okay if he changed his mind about the priesthood, even as he attended college at St. Meinrad and seminary at St. Mary in Baltimore, Md.

When he was ordained on June 22, 1974, she was there. "She was really excited when I became a priest," he said, adding with a laugh, "She said it was her ticket to heaven."

He was first assigned to Holy Cross Parish in Fort Branch; then to Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville and St. Wendel Parish in St. Wendel. In 1983, he became pastor at St. Mary Parish in downtown Evansville, where he spent the next 30 years. During some of that time he also served as the moderator and sacramental minister of nearby St. John the Apostle Parish.

It was at those parishes where he incorporated lessons he learned from his mother and those he heard during his seminary classes – lessons about inclusivity, reminders that everyone is welcome in the Catholic Church.

"I'm so much like my mother,” he said. “She knew everyone, and she loved everyone. I remember going to Midnight Mass when I was 10 years old, and then everyone -- Catholic and non-Catholic friends -- coming over for a breakfast that would last until two or three in the morning."

He remembers that his brothers and sisters always had friends over -- all the time. “I carried that over to my ministry,” he said. “The whole spirit of Vatican II is a call to the inclusion of all God's children.”

During his years as a pastor, his work centered around the celebration of the sacraments. "We are so much a sacramental Church," he said, adding, "The reason I became a priest was to help lay men and women to be a part of the Church.”

He officiated at 649 weddings. Before each ceremony, he met with the engaged couples at least four times before officiating at their wedding Mass. He reviewed the teachings of the Church regarding the Sacrament of Marriage, and he explained his requirements in order for them to be married in his parish: they must be registered in a Catholic parish somewhere; they must practice their faith, in other words, they must attend Mass; and they must abide by all parish policies for the marriage ceremony. 

He strived to create a parish that was “alive with people who felt welcome to lead here. I encouraged parishioners to attend, to be involved in ministry, and to be stewards.”

When he was named pastor of St. Mary back in the early 1980s, he found a parish surrounded by poverty. “I knew that if St. Mary was not helping the poor, we should close our doors.”

St. Mary’s parish mission statement calls for hospitality, prayer and the Eucharist; service to the poor; religious formation or evangelization; family life; stewardship; and justice. "Every decision is made in light of our mission statement and our strategic goals,” he said. 

Over the years, he became known for the strength of his homilies. Preparing them, he said, was hard work. "I spend four to five hours every week – sometimes more – on a homily." 

He worked to incorporate Old Testament scriptures into his homilies along with the words from the New Testament. "Jesus talks of peace and love," he said, “while earlier scriptures speak of justice and righteousness, loving kindness and mercy." 

His homily preparation includes reading four to five commentaries – some written by women. "I have always valued the reflection women have given on the scriptures,” he said.

When he returns to Evansville after a two-month extended vacation, Father Lintzenich will reside at the rectory at Holy Trinity Parish. "I hope to be of help to my brother priests,” he said, “and to parishes in the Diocese of Evansville."