Reitz Memorial's Celebrates Campus Expansion

Glorious weather welcomed a crowd of more than 1,000 to Reitz Memorial High School Sept. 23 for an outdoor Mass and dedication ceremony for the school’s multimillion-dollar campus-expansion project.

Evansville Bishop Charles C. Thompson concelebrated with five priests of the diocese, and he welcomed city officials, families and friends of Memorial to the historic event. Most importantly, however, Bishop Thompson noted the connection the project has with this year’s theme for diocesan Catholic schools – A Family of Families.

“It struck me how many times the word family is in these new facilities,” he said. “I’ve been here a little over three years, and I’m recognizing those names as Evansville names. To accomplish all of this takes an effort of unity. It takes an effort of community.”

Without question, the community rallied around the project. Campaign co-chairs Wayne Henning and Bill Vieth Sr. praised those who helped raise $6.8 million for the project. Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke praised those who made every element of the project so smooth and effective. Memorial President Brother Lawrence Murphy thanked Winnecke and other city leadership, noting that every vote from a city entity needed to move the project forward was unanimously in favor.

“We all are a family,” Bishop Thompson said, “one family united by God’s spirit in the body and blood of Jesus Christ. May we never forget that we’re never alone as part of the grand family of God.”

Bishop Thompson talked about the beauty of the new facilities, which include

The Browning Stone Circle; the German-American Message Center; the Robert H. Kent Athletic Center; the Koch Family Circle; the Mehringer Family Walkway; the Orthopaedic Associates/Progressive Health Scoreboard; the Traylor Family Stadium; and the Witting Parking Lot.

He also talked about the beauty of the Memorial uniforms – noting that, as a Kentucky native, he really likes blue and white.

“As grand as these facilities are … as beautiful as they are,” he continued, “and as beautiful as the uniforms, nothing matches the beauty of you young people inside those uniforms, or in those stands, or in that gym. Nothing is more beautiful than the persons participating and making use of them.”

He then urged the student body to guard its collective honor. “Always play and act with integrity,” he said.  “Win or lose, never lose your integrity. Never sacrifice your dignity, and you’ll always be champions – and these facilities will have served their purpose, by the grace of God.”

Bishop Thompson then walked around much of the area comprising the expansion project, blessing and sprinkling it with holy water. He also blessed and sprinkled the crowd before concluding the ceremony.