February, 2016 - St. Joseph Parish Vanderburgh County

FISH FRYS AND GETTING TO THE
HEART OF THE MATTER
Lent is upon us again. That wonderful
time of the year when Catholics give up
eating meat so that we can enjoy all the
benefits of feasting at Fish Fry’s! Well,
yes, but Lent is also that that time when
we try to focus again on what is essential
to being a disciple of Jesus. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving have traditionally been the means to accomplish this
task. Like everything else, Lenten practices can become
routine and lose their effectiveness.
I’ve been reading a great book by Fr. Ron Rolheiser—
Sacred Fire A Vision For A Deeper Human And Christian
Maturity. He speaks about what is essential to being a
Christian disciple this way. It means being a person who
cultivates a relationship with God in prayer, living a life
that is consistent with what we say we are, caring about
others, being part of a community, and having a heart of
gratitude.
Praying is about cultivating a relationship with God
that is not just something we believe in our head but
that we come to know in our hearts. All the popular
Catholic devotions that many are familiar with are an
attempt to help people do this. Many of our brothers
and sisters from other traditions speak of “accepting
Jesus as our Lord and Savior.” Any significant relationship we have with someone happens because we take
the time to be with that person. We spend time sharing
our life with them and in the process we experience a
sense of intimacy that we all long for. And what is
equally important is that the
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
way we live our lives has to
—Parish Council
News…………… p. 2 consistent with what we say
we believe. We can’t just say
one thing and act in another
—Mid Year Financial
Report………...p. 3 way.
The quality of our faith
—Introducing our High
life will be judged by how well
School Seniors….p. 5 we take to heart Jesus' call to
care for others, particularly
—Sausage Sale…….....p. 5
the poor and the most vulnerable.
Who can forget his
—Celebrating Catholic
Schools Week…….p. 8 words….when I was hungry you
fed me, when I was a stranger
—Service to Others..p.12 you welcomed me…… So acts
of charity are important. But
—Can You Help With
it is not enough just to do
Snow Removal?....12 works of charity. We need to
It’s time to make plans for “the best fish
fry in the Evansville area.” The dates for our
fish fries are February 19th and March 4th.
Serving from 5-7 pm.
Carry outs available!
ON THE MENU
Fish Filets, Baked Beans, Potato Salad,
Macaroni & Cheese, Slaw or Applesauce,
Cornbread, Tea, Lemonade and Coffee
Call Mike or Jenny Collins (812-401-4238)
to volunteer.
You can also call the parish office (812-963-3273). Spread the
word and invite your friends and neighbors to join us for a great
meal!
work for justice as well. It’s one thing to feed the poor,
it’s another thing to work to change the social, economic
and political structures that disadvantage the poor. This is
a huge step and one that is resisted by many. Archbishop
Hélder Câmara from Brazil once said: “When I gave food
to the poor, they called me a saint. When I asked why the
poor have no food, they called me a communist.” It takes
courage to not only do works of charity but to also work
for justice.
Being a disciple is also being willing to be part of a
community. “No person is an island, entire of itself,” the
poet John Donne tells us. This is not an easy message to
hear in our world which places individual liberty and rights
on such a high pedestal. Being involved with others, in
families, in communities and in this thing we call church,
can be messy and exasperating. It’s easy to see why many
would want to just go off and do their own thing. But
walking the journey with others, rubbing elbows with
them, getting mad, making up, becoming disillusioned and
wanting to give up seem to be the way we grow best. It
seems that in this messy, give and take process we come
(Continued on page 3)
`Ash Wednesday February 10
Mass at 7:30 am
with distribution of Ashes
Penance Service
with distribution of Ashes
11:00 am and 7:00 pm
The Carpenter—February, 2016
PARISH ORGANIZATIONS: Aside from meeting for
food and fellowship, our parish organizations have also
been involved in a variety of activities. St. Joe Senior
Citizens continue to meet monthly. They are always
interested in new folks joining them. The Knights of
St. John had a successful week at the Fall Festival.
Members of the Knights joined forces with the Men’s
Club and other community members to spearhead a barbecue benefit to provide funds to pay medical expenses
for Mike Niemeier which raised over $10,300.
Members of the Men’s Club made over five hundred gallons
of burgoo and twelve hundred pounds of sausage. Proceeds are being used to pay their pledge to the Raising
the Ceiling Campaign. Members of the Altar Society
held several kuchen sales and a successful dressing sale
in November. Proceeds continue to be used to provide
a wide variety of items used in church. The PTO had a
successful week at the Fall Festival and conducted several other fundraisers this fall. Proceeds have been
used for technology needs in the school and new curriculum series. Members also provided volunteer help
for playground duty and a wide variety of school assistance needs. The Athletic Committee continues to provide coaches for boys and girls fall and winter sports
teams. They are also sponsoring a basketball league
and using the proceeds to provide athletic equipment
and uniforms for a wide variety of teams.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: Family Religion Classes
have been held each month. Parents viewed the video
series Altaration as part of their sessions. Sacramental
Preparation for Confirmation have been held throughout
the fall in preparation for the Celebration of Confirmation in January. First Reconciliation preparation and
celebration was held in November. Through the generous support of Lee and Toni Askins, 500 copies of the
book Rediscovering Jesus were distributed to parishioners. A ladies book discussion group was held in the fall
and will continue in the winter months. They will be
using the book Rediscovering Jesus, as well as the series
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Bible for this discussion
group. The Family Religion Class will be discussing the
book Lord, Change My Attitude. College Care packages
were prepared for our college students for their first
semester exam period. A series of Youth Group Activities were held for our junior high students and they
met with good success.
PARISH OUTREACH: Collections for the St. Vincent
DePaul Food Pantry continue each week. Collections to
support the education of seminarians for Mary Mother of
God Parish in Vladivostok, Russia were held. Members
also helped with the soup kitchen at St. John the Apostle Parish. Members of the parish and surrounding area
came together to sponsor a barbecue benefit for Mike
St. Joseph Newsletter 6202 W. Saint Joseph Road, Evansville, IN 47720 February 1, 2016 Vol. 25 No. 2 Published
monthly by St. Joseph Catholic Parish. Deadline: 15 th of
each month TO SUBMIT ARTICLES Contact the rectory (9633273) or EMAIL [email protected].
Page 2
Niemeier. Work with our sister parish in Haiti, St. James,
continues. Two mission trips are planned for this coming
spring at the beginning and end of March. We will be collecting donations for our “Sausage for the Homeless” campaign in February which will be run in conjunction with the
Men’s Club Sausage Sale in February. We will also conduct
our annual Diaper Bag Express (Mother’s Day—Father’s Day)
to benefit Birthright.
SCHOOL BOARD Members continue to meet to set the
overall policy for the school. They reviewed enrollment
trends and made plans for open house celebrations for the
year. Enrollment is up from last year. Members also reviewed the progress of the installation of new computers in
the school computer lab. They are pursuing opportunities
to purchase lab top/notebooks. Members are also pursing
the possibility of providing a counselor through Youth First
who would work at the school for 1-2 days a week. New
members attended the Diocesan Orientation for School
Board Members. Members continued to review the work of
the AdvanceEd computer system that is being used by the
teachers and parents. A survey was conducted with students and parents and members of the school board are
reviewing the results of this survey. Members will also be
working to establish fees and tuition amounts for the coming school year.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Expenses for the year
continue to be within budget. Income for the year is
slightly below last year and somewhat behind our budgeted
needs for the year. There is some concern that for the
past several years, income from our Sunday Collections
have remained the same for each of the past five years
with only a 1% increase from year to year. Parish staff
members work very hard to do a lot with limited resources
and have had to make strategic decisions to ensure that we
end the year in the black. While individuals in the parish
may desire to have additional staff, especially for the
school, the willingness to follow this up with an increase in
collections has not always been forthcoming.
Bulletin/Newsletter/Parish Activities Directory Ads
were all sold again this year. Fifty-five ads with each ad
Do you want to keep up with Catholic news in the
Diocese of Evansville? How do you find out about the
Lenten Fish Fries? The 2016 Summer Socials? The Brute
Society nominees? All the important news in the Diocese
of Evansville?
There are two ways you can do that. One: Send $24
to The Message, P.O. Box 4169; Evansville, IN 47724-0169,
for a year’s subscription to the print edition of The Message. Two: send $12 to The Message, P.O. Box 4169,
Evansville, IN 47724-0169, for a year’s subscription to the
brand new digital edition. You also can visit
www.TheMessageOnline.org. to renew or subscribe. The
Message – our Catholic community newspaper serving
southwestern Indiana.
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Page 3
selling for $200. The amount collected should pay for
the printing of the bulletin, newsletter and activities
directory as well as paying the cost to mail the newsletter and provide money for postage for the parish.
500 St. Joe Lottery Tickets were sold again this year
which should net the parish $21,300.
Several maintenance items in the parish have been
dealt with. The air-conditioning units in the gym have
several freon leaks which Schneider Heating and Air
have been able to patch. No doubt these units will
have to be replaced in the years to come. There are
two twenty ton units servicing the gym area.
A new
flow meter has been installed in our wastewater treatment plants. Several other plumbing, air-conditioning
and electrical issues have been taken care. Our mowing crews continued to do their excellent job of keeping the parish campus looking great. Several people
were also involved in cleaning up leaves this fall. We have
a really wonderful person who is cleaning our school. She is
an employee from Hasgoe and has been well received by the
school faculty and staff. Her dedication and commitment to
keeping the school clean is admirable.
Our Raising the Ceiling Campaign continues. The new
ceiling in the cafeteria and adjoining classrooms were installed and the entire area painted. New LED lights have
been installed throughout the school. We have applied for a
rebate from Vectren for installing these LED lights which we
should receive sometime in the next couple of months.
The louvers in the church steeple were painted and the exterior brick sealed. The one project remaining is to seal
and restripe the parking lot. This project will be undertaken next spring after school is over for the year. About
60% of the total pledges of this campaign have been paid.
MID YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT July 1, 2015--December 31, 2015
INCOME
Current YTD
YTD Budget
Total Budget
$501,056.00
$504,400.00
$1,008,800.00
Other Ordinary Income
$64,599.52
$15,300.00
$58,475.00
Summer Social Income
$67,731.09
$52,000.00
$56,811.00
$1,376.00
$880.00
$1,250.00
School Income (Pre-School, Supplies,
Tuition, Fees, etc.)
$254,970.79
$195,150.00
$332,000.00
TOTAL INCOME
$889,734.00
$768,100.00
$1,457,336.00
Parish Salaries and Benefits
$90,829.96
$90,389.00
$181,398.00
Parish Office and Related Expenses
$10,887.71
$15,050.00
$28,500.00
$4,140.33
$4,425.00
$8,850.00
Parish Buildings/Ground Maintenance
$16,255.49
$18,218.50
$36,437.00
Summer Social Expenses
$13,694.86
$14,000.00
$14,000.00
Catholic High School Expenses
$39,861.24
$39,800.00
$79,600.00
$576,160.48
$533,702.16
$1,044,751.00
$19,780.03
$32,950.00
$63,800.00
$771,609.50
$748,534.66
$1,457,336.00
Sunday Collections
Religious Education Income
EXPENSES
Church and Worship
School Expenses
Religious Education Expenses
TOTAL EXPENSES
RAISING THE CEILING CAMPAING UPDATE
Income to Date: May 1, 2015 — January 15,2016——-$160,795.66
Expenses to Date: May 1, 2015 — January 15, 2016——$197,481.00
If you would like to see a more detailed report, stop by the Parish Office and we will make a
copy for you. A record of your contributions for 2015 has been prepared for you and is now
available in church. Please check your records and let us know if there are any mistakes so
we can make the necessary corrections. Thanks for taking seriously our common effort to
provide the financial resources we need to do all the work in our parish
(Continued from
page 1)
to know more about ourselves
and more about who God is
than we could do by ourselves. Being a Christian is
not something we do alone,
but something that we only
come to fully know through
being with others.
And how is that we learn
to live together without killing each other? It’s all about
forgiveness. It means letting
go of bitterness and resentment that get into all of our
lives by practicing forgiveness. It means learning to
forgive ourselves and others
for not being perfect, for not
living up to the expectations
we have of ourselves and
each other. It means forgiving life for being terribly inconsistent. It means learning
to live with what is and being
grateful.
To be sure, it’s a tall order to do this thing we call
being a Christian. As Lent
begins, we make another stab
at trying to do it well. We’ll
have our moments of success
and our failures.
But we
don’t need to give in to discouragement, for as, Mother
Theresa was fond of saying:
“God doesn’t call us to be
successful, he only calls us to
be faithful.” So have a great
Lent. And, by the way, don’t
forget to enjoy some great
fish dinners!
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Bayleigh Wessel
Bayleigh is finishing her last semester as a senior at Mater Dei in
school. That sounds pretty normal
for most seniors, but not so for
Bayleigh. Her journey to get there
has been quite a ride. Bayleigh is
the eldest daughter of Jena and
Shane Wessel. She has a younger
sister, Kaelyn, who is a freshman at
Mater Dei.
Bayleigh attended Cynthia Heights from Kindergarten
through second grade before transferring to St. Joe in
third grade. Her life was full of all the normal grade
school activities: going to class, being part of the
cheerleading squad, dance classes, going rock climbing,
playing softball and volleyball. “I had some great
teachers—Mrs. Will who was always enthusiastic, Mrs.
Elpers who had a great way to teach, especially in Religion Class, and Mr. Wilson who helped me appreciate
social studies and took us on our eighth grade trip exploring the caves at Marengo State Park and then canoeing on the Blue River.”
Bayleigh’s life took a dramatic turn in eighth grade.
“Our family had just finished dinner, when, all of a sudden it was like I passed out but was aware of everything
around me. My parents took me to the hospital but all
the tests they did turned out normal. I had several
other fainting spells which began to concern me and my
parents. We went to Riley Hospital and the doctors
there diagnosed me with Neurocardiogenic Syncope.
They gave me some medication for this, but things just
got worse. I went to the Cleveland Clinic where they
did more tests and said I had periodic paralysis, which is
a form of muscular dystrophy. I was prescribed more
drugs and, from there, things spiraled out of control.
No one seemed to know what was wrong. Some doctors thought it was all in my head. I was in high school
at the time but I was wheelchair-bound. I had to quit
dance and cheer. I wasn’t able to go to school anymore.
Things were so bad that I couldn’t walk up the stairs in
my own house; I had to be carried. I couldn't even brush
my own teeth. I was having up to 21 spells every single
day. I felt like I was dying.
Three years after all of this had started, we felt
we were no closer to finding an answer than we were on
day one. We were desperate, so we started seeking answers outside of traditional medicine. Last year, things
finally began to turn around. As it turns out, I have Non
-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. The gluten intolerance triggered six autoimmune diseases, which resulted in all of
the symptoms I was having.
It’s been quite a journey for our family. My parents,
Thanks to all who bought tickets
and thanks especially to all our
great ticket sellers! Not only will we be able to give away $16,200 to
48 lucky winners, we have also made $21,300.00 for our parish
Page 4
INTRODUCING OUR HIGH
SCHOOL SENIORS
especially my mom, never gave up on trying to find an answer. In the process we’ve learned a lot about eating
healthy foods and learning how important exercise and
stress management are.
I’ve become very conscious
about what kind of things I eat and I’ve also learned about
how important it is to deal with stress. Yoga, meditation
and prayer are all important parts of this.”
One of the exciting things is that Bayleigh has now gotten her learners permit and will soon be able to get her
driver’s license! Right now she’s learned how to appreciate simple things in life, like being able to go to school
and walk on her own! Her experiences have led her to
think about a career in medicine, in the field of dietetics.
She hopes to go to USI to get a degree that will allow her
to work in the field of functional medicine which has a
great deal to do with helping our body heal itself through
diet and good exercise. Bayleigh has shared her story of
healing and recovery with others and was recently featured on the Facebook page of Humans of Evansville.
Family has always been a big part of Bayleigh’s life.
“We’ve gotten a lot closer through all the things I’ve gone
through. My mom has helped me appreciate people and
given me a lot of determination in life. My Dad has a
great passion for life and has taught me the value of being
organized”
A sense of family is one of the things that she has
appreciated here at St. Joe. Over the years, Bayleigh has
been an altar server, worked with the Vacation Bible
School Program and helped with the Children’s games at
the summer social.
WORDS OF WISDOM: One of the things I’ve learned about
life is to never give up. Going through all the things I have
has also taught me to be more comfortable with not always knowing the answers to why things happen in life.
Sometimes you may think that life is unfair. It’s really
important to work at thinking positively and avoiding going
down the road of negativity. We’d like to be able to do
everything by ourselves and it can be really hard to let
others take care of you. But I’ve learned a lot to have a
lot of compassion for those who are dealing with a lot of
medical and psychological challenges. I’ve been surrounded by some good folks who have helped me learn
that there are blessings even in the midst of things that
look pretty awful at times.

Congratulations to Ryan Niemeier
graduated from USI with in a degree in
Management and to Olivia Fritch who
graduated from USI with a degree in education. Both graduations were in December

Michaela Karcher was one of the members of the
National Honor Society at Mater Dei who welcomed the
new members into the society this past December.
 Congratulations to Maddy Elpers and Eric Ondash who
were chosen as the Serra Club Vocation Awareness winners at St. Joe this year.
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Rachel Goedde
It may be hard to imagine that this
outgoing, vivacious young woman was,
at one time, a very shy young girl.
“People may find that hard to believe
about me, but it’s true.”
But it
would certainly be understandable for
Rachel, whose mother, Carol, died
from breast cancer when she was only
two years old. A lot has changed in
the ensuring years. Rachel is now the senior class president at Mater Dei. Her current project is collecting
money for the special senior tee shirts. Rachel has also
been involved in student government at Mater Dei as a
homeroom representative during her sophomore and junior years. One of the other projects she is currently
overseeing is the Souper Supper, an annual event held
jointly with Memorial High School in which people are
invited to a soup supper before the Mater Dei/Memorial
basketball game to raise money for Riley Hospital.
Rachel is also involved in the Teen Advisory Council
(TAC) for high school students throughout Evansville. As
part of this effort she has attended EVSC school board
meetings and has done volunteer work at the Dream Center, helping the kids with the math homework. She has
been head of the recruiting efforts for TAC, inviting
freshman and sophomores to be a part of TAC.
Rachel is also part of the committee overseeing the
Dance Marathon to raise money for Riley Hospital. In
addition to doing fundraising for this effort, she is in
charge of welcoming the children and families who have
been to Riley Hospital who will be at the Dance Marathon. Rachel has also been on the Right to Life Pilgrimage to Washington D.C. the past couple of years. “Aside
from the activities with the Right to Life March, we also
had the chance to visit several of the national museums
like the Washington and Lincoln Memorials, the Viet Nam
War memorial and the World War II Memorial.”
There have been a number of teachers and staff
members at St. Joe and Mater Dei who have been a big
influence in Rachel’s life. “Mrs. Ranier, the Guidance
Counselor at Mater Dei has really been helpful in planning ahead for college. I remember Mrs. Elpers from
grade school days because she was also excited about
what she was teaching and her excitement was contagious.” Rachel has a special affinity for the lunch ladies
both at Mater Dei (Mary Jo Kirchoff) and St. Joe (Beth
and Sheri). Even after she graduated from St. Joe, the
cooks made her a special gift of the “dirt pudding” they
were preparing for the kids. Grade school also has special memories of planning the Mass and taking special
parts in the Mass. “Our favorite song was “Shout to the
Lord,” and we wanted to sing it all the time.”
Family has played a key role in Rachel’s life. Some
of the hardest and sweetest memories are about family.
Rachel was pretty young when her mother died, but her
dad made sure they all remembered her with special
trips to her grave. They would travel in wagon pulled by
their John Deere mower to the Mini Mart where they
would get some ice cream and then visit their mom’s
Page 5
grave. There are also special times with her grandmother, Cyrilla Goedde, who was their favorite babysitter. “She taught me how to tie my shoe strings and how to
play Rummy Q and to enjoy watching Hallmark movies.”
The other significant moment in her life is when her
dad, Tom, got married to Mary Tison. “My brothers, Luke
and Zach, and I went to school with Mary’s kids—Jake,
Kyle, Katie and Emily. Everyone thought Dad and Mary
would be a good match and all of us did what we could to
make it happen and when it did I got a whole new family.
Finally I had some sisters!” The family got bigger. Not
only were there Goedde’s and Rexing’s but now their
were Folz’s and Wildeman’s.
“We are an outdoor family and we like doing all kinds
of outdoor activities—driving on four wheeler’s, going hiking and kayaking, and having waffle ball games. We’re all
pretty competitive!”
Rachel has been accepted at U of E, Butler, USI and
Purdue. Perhaps she will follow her brothers, Luke and
Zach to Purdue or maybe she will blaze her own trail.
She’s going to begin a general studies program but is leaning toward majoring in chemistry. Rachel has strong ties
with family and to the St. Joe community, so it will be
interesting to see how her plans unfold.
WORDS OF WISDOM: “I saw a sign that said “Worry Less,
Pray More.” I think that says a lot. A lot has happened
in my life, and I have come to believe that everything
happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason isn’t readily
apparent so you have to trust that things will work out for
the best. I’ve also learned that you get a great deal of
satisfaction from doing for others. And I’ve learned that
it is important to cherish the relationships you have especially those with your family. They’ve always been there
for me.”
Last day to order is Monday, February 8
Pickup day Saturday, Feb. 13th 7-10 am
We’ll be making the sausage on Friday, February
12 beginning at noon. Come and join in helping.
LET’S GO HOG WILD FOR THE HOMELESS
In conjunction with the Men’s Club Sausage sale this month, we’d like to provide
600 pounds of sausage to the homeless
shelters in Evansville and to the St. Vincent
DePaul Food Pantry. We’ll have a special
collection after the Masses on the weekend of February 6-7. You may also send
your financial contributions to the parish office.
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Page 6
Abby Elpers
Combine one part spunky determination,
one part kindness and one part a genuine
heart for others and you get Abby Elpers.
Abby is a senior at Mater Dei and is the
oldest daughter of Greg and Amy Elpers.
Her younger brother, Adam is a junior at
Mater Dei. “High School has been a really
good experience for me and I can’t hardly believe it’s
about to be over. The great thing for me is that because Mater Dei is smaller, there is a great sense of
family where people know your name and help you feel
at home. The Fresh Beginnings program they had when
I was a freshman was a great way for me to learn some
of the other people in my class.”
In addition to her academic efforts, Abby has been
involved in the Pep Club, Service Club and the Dance
Marathon to benefit Riley hospital. Among the many
community events she has helped at was working with
the young children at Family Fun Night sponsored by the
St. Vincent DePaul Society. She’s on the auction committee for the Dance Marathon and contacts local businesses for donations for the silent auction.
Abby has also found time to volunteer at Evansville
ARC where she has worked with the young children.
Being a part of the youth group at Holy Redeemer has
also been a big part of her life. She got to know the
leader of this group because she worked with her at the
after-school day care at Holy Redeemer. “We’ve done a
lot of different things with the Youth Group, going caroling at Christmas and being part of a spring retreat.
I’ve met some new friends there and that has been
great!”
Over the years, Abby credits a lot of people with
helping her be the person she is. First there are her
parents. “I think I am lot like my Mom. People tell me I
have her personality, Mom’s been a great role model
for me. On the other had, I look like my Dad, especially his blue eyes. The thing that I have appreciated
TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) is a three-day experience for young people who are for searching for
goals, for acceptance, for meaning, and for community. Teens can expect to meet youth from other areas
of the Diocese, find how God fits in your life, and encounter the Risen Jesus Christ. You will have time to
reflect on your life, ideas, hopes, and dreams away
from home, school, and/or work. You can find an application and more information at www.switec.org
The next weekend is Feb. 13-15, 2016 at St. Mary’s
Church in Ireland. Two other TEC weekends are July
23-25 and Nov. 12-14. Feel free to send in applications
for either weekend For more information contact Fr.
Gene Schroeder (812-499-9074) or Jessica Reckelhoff
(812-598-1151) or email them at [email protected]
or [email protected]
We will be meeting for games,
food, and fellowship EVERY
FIRST SUNDAY FROM 4:00-5:30
PM BEGINNING MARCH 6TH. Meet
in the St. Joe school gym. Call or
text Jessica Reckelhoff for questions: 812-598-1151
about my Dad is that he is very patient and laid back.
That’s a good thing, since he’s the one that taught me
how to drive!”
Teachers from grade school at St. Joe and high
school at Mater Dei have also played a big role in her life.
“All my teachers were good but I especially remember
Mrs. Daugherty because she helped me a great deal with
math. I also remember Mr. Wilson because he was so personable. You knew that he cared about you. Debbie
Lintzneich and Kelly Ubelhor, the resource teachers at
Mater Dei have been a big help toward getting me through
high school.”
Being part of a family is important for Abby. My
Dad’s family is very large. Every fourth of July we get together at my Uncle and Aunt, Ted and Julie Elpers, for a
lake party. There’s lots of good food and games. It’s a
great chance to catch up with all my cousins and then we
conclude the evening with a big fireworks. Mom’s family
(the Greubels), while not as large as the Elpers side, is
also big. One of the things I have really enjoyed is going
to Panama City, Florida in June with my Mom’s brothers
and sisters. We enjoy days on the beach and then gathering for a big meal each evening. Food always seems to
taste better when it is shared with family and friends.”
The community of St. Joe is another experience of
family for Abby. “It’s where I’ve gone all my life.” There
are memories of coming to the 8 am Mass on Sunday, helping in the dining room for the summer social and for the
fish frys and babysitting for the young children during the
RCIA gatherings.
Next year Abby plans to attend Ivy Tec and work toward her Early Childhood Development Degree. Going to
USI for further studies may also be in the picture.
“I
could see myself working as a Pre-School teacher. My
dream for the future is to find a great guy and get married, settle down in the area and raise a family.”
WORDS OF WISDOM: “One of the things that I have
learned is how important determination is in life. I have
to work very hard with my studies. It would be great to
be the kind of person who can just look at things once and
then understand them, but that’s not me. I can learn, but
it takes a lot more effort on my part. So it’s important to
not give up and just keep on trying. I think it is also important to appreciate the little things in life. Things can
change so quickly. Two years ago, my cousin, Megan, was
killed in a car accident.
Just like that, everything
changed. So it’s really important to appreciate the people
who are around you everyday. Be comfortable with who
you. Don’t let people push you into doing things. Be
thankful for the blessings that come your way. And remember to help others, especially the less fortunate.
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Page 7
We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions that were given in memory and honor of loved ones.
Let us remember the gift they have been in our life.
Carl & Dottie Isabell
MOTHER THERESA
Karen
Donner
ENDOWMENT
ST. JOSEPH PARISH
Dan & Mary Ruth Lasher
Ray & Janis Hanes
FOR THE NEEDY
IN MEMORY OF
Oscar & Phyllis Scheller
Steve & Linda Morgan
IN MEMORY OF
Darrell & Karen Stevens
Kenny Schapker
Ray & Nancy Pritchett
Brad & Nancy Ruminer
Glen & Debbie Seibert
IN MEMORY OF
Phil & Becky Dosher
Beth & Jerry Spaetti
Cyril Ubelhor
Rick Kiegel Family
Stephen & Margorie Libs
Stephen & Nancy Wichman
Bob & Norma Duncan
Jim & Connie Gries
Lorraine Blanford
Rob & Dana Grasso
Charlotte Baumgart
Tony & Teresa Tenhumberg Lynn Ubelhor & Delores Mounts
Brad & Nancy Ruminer
Bob & Martha Baehl
Chris & Jody Cumbee
Jan Hermann
Kenny & Barb Elpers
Tom & Delores Folz
Todd, Stephanie, Dylan
Bryan & Liz Hirsch
& Austin Yoder
John & Julie Talley
Thomas & Marilyn Southwood
Fran & Shirley Happe
Jim & Lori Weiss
Mike & Bev Hirsch
Jeni & Carolyn Schapker
Becky Hirsch
Steve & Diana Stolz
Rita Hirsch
James & Mary Musick
Gene & Marianne Ritter
Ed & Linnie Kiegel
Don & Delores Schroeder
Laura & Bruce Wyatt
Larry & Rose Hirsch
Jim Kiegel
Don & Alice Weis
Marcellus Schapker
Estelle Schneider
Lois & Thomas Schenk
Charlie Ubelhor
John & Janet Hurm
Bryan & Ann Craney
Anna Mae & Andy Seib
Mary Lou Davis
John & Jan Schmitt
Leona Englert
Brian & Carol Schmitt
Bernard Ubelhor
Patricia Singer
Betty Hartz
The Spahn Family
Jon & Bernette Locklar
MD Class Of 1969
St. Joe Senior Citizens
Ray & Jane Herr
Jim & Kim Riordan
Barbara Conner
Terry Drone
Randy & Sharon Feller
St. Joe Men’s Club
Mrs. Barbara Dassel
Alan & Donna
Mr. & Mrs. Curt Seib
Blankenberger
Virginia Spahn
Eileen Goldbach
Danny & Janice Schmitt
Steven & Janice Stover
Bill & Rita Hasenour
Larry & Carol Schlachter
Carol Schenk
Tri State Athletic Club
Jenny May
Allen, Christi, Courtney
Victor & Rae Schmitt
& Matthew Messer
Rays Heating &
Tom & Donna Blythe
Air Conditioning, Inc.
The Martin Group, Inc.
Dave & Sandy Schmitt
Jeri Kempf
Donna & Dave Dippel
Scott Rollett
Larry & Henrietta Happe
Ann & Mike Ennis
John & Jane Luigs
Kent & Geralyn Ruminer
Don & Alice Weis
Dave & Betty Fehrenbacher
IN MEMORY OF
Greg & Susie Head
Darrell Whelan
John & Gail Maurer
Galen & Madeline
Randy & Cecilia Kuester
Overton
Jan Hermann
Ken & Rita Rexing
Terry Drone
Mark & Annette Werner
Becky Heidorn
Ann & Steve Southwell
Charlotte Schapker
Roger Ziliak
Roger & Kathy Hall
Kathy Santiago
Debbie & Tom Betz
Jimmie Williams
Mayanne Lentz
Rick & Pauline Elpers
Richard & Judy
Fehrenbacher
Terry & Julie
Fehrenbacher
Fran & Shirley Happe
Betty Hartz
Bob & Sandra Hoehn
Tanya Utley
Leslie Welborn
St. Joe Men’s Club
Phil & Becky Dosher
Bob & Norma Duncan
Bob & Linda Englert
Jerry & Beth Spaetti
Tim Loehrlein
Mark Wade
IN MEMORY OF
Fr. Venantius Preske
Hank & June Preske
Jeri Kempf
Kent & Geralyn Ruminer
IN MEMORY OF
Alice Pfister
Jeri Kempf
IN MEMORY OF
Jean Lannert
Jeri Kempf
St. Joe Senior Citizens
Jerry & Beth Spaetti
Kent & Geralyn Ruminer
Jeff Schneider Family
Bob & Mary Kay
Fehrenbacher
ST. JOSEPH NEEDY FUND
IN MEMORY OF
Kenny Schapker
John and Ruby Manger
IN MEMORY OF
Fr. Venantius Preske
Marie Gumbel
IN MEMORY OF
Jean Lannert
Marie Gumbel
ST. JOE CEMETERY
ENDOWMENT
IN MEMORY OF
Fr. Venantius Preske
Rose Weiss
IN MEMORY OF
Jean Lannert
Rose Weiss
IN MEMORY OF
Cyril Ubelhor
Rose Weiss
IN MEMORY OF
Darrell Whelan
Rose Weiss
St. JOSEPH HAITI
STUDENTS
IN MEMORY OF
Jean Lannert
Butch and Linda Feulner
IN MEMORY OF
Kenny Schapker
Butch and Linda
Feulner
URBAN & BETTY WILL
LANDSCAPE ENDOWMENT
IN MEMORY OF
Betty Metz
Chris and Patti Will
IN MEMORY OF
Jean Lannert
John and Ruby Manger
Darrell Whelan
Chris & Patti Will
IN MEMORY OF
TONY STRICKER
PE ENDOWMENT
IN MEMORY OF
Pete Rembert, Jr.
Neal & Peggy Dossett
HORAK-DOSSETT
LITURGY ENDOWMENT
IN MEMORY OF
Fr. Venantius Preske
Neal & Peggy Dossett
Cyril Ubelhor
Lee & Toni Askins
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Be it known to all who enter our school that
CHRIST is the reason for this school.
He is the unseen but ever present teacher
in its classes. He is the model of its faculty
and the inspiration of its students.

It feels like an extended family, everyone greets,
smiles and genuinely glad you and your child is a part
of it.

I like the Christ- centered, extended, caring,
family atmosphere.

Communication between teachers and parents is
very easy and efficient

I like the teacher/child ratio (smaller school). I
like that the teachers know my children by name even
before and after they have them in class.

The staff is fantastic. The parent involvement
and support is also impressive.

It is easy to talk with teachers and administrators

I like that it feels like a family atmosphere. Not
a worry when I drop my kids off at school.

The teachers have a passion for all the students
and Christ centered learning

All staff, students, and parents are welcome
here. We work together to make sure everyone can be
successful. We do not stick to the cookie cutter routine when a student needs something different. We
put in many extra hours to make sure all of our students succeed and we take great pride in our students.
Page 8
The Carpenter—February, 2016
Page 9
FEBRUARY 2016
SUNDAY
MONDAY
1
7 am-7 pm
Eucharistic
Adoration
TUESDAY
2
NO MASS
6 pm SPRED
WEDNESDAY
3
11 am Mass at
Parkview
Nursing Center
7 pm Choir
6:30 PM Mass
78 & 10:30 Mass 8
7 am-7pm
Coffee-Donuts
Eucharistic
after 8 am Mass
Adoration
Children’s Liturgy
6 pm School
of the Word
Board
Sausage for the
6:30 pm Mass
Homeless
7 pm Knights
Collection
of St. John
Food Pantry
LAST DAY TO
Collection
ORDER MEN’S
Youth Group
CLUB SAUSAGE
Parish Staff
Meeting 12
Noon
9
7:30 am Mass
8:30 Prayer
Service
6 pm SPRED
Choir 7 pm
10ASH
WEDNESDAY
7:30 Mass with
distribution of
ashes
Penance Service
with distribution
of ashes
11 am and 7 pm
Parish Staff
Meeting 9-11am
THURSDAY
4
NO MASS
11
NO MASS
Altar Society
Meeting
7 pm
Children’s Liturgy
of the Word
8 and 10:30
RCIA Rite
of Election
RCIA -10:15 am
Food Pantry
Collection
6 pm Haiti
Parish Staff
Ministry Meeting
Meeting 12 Noon
21
8 & 10:30 Masses
Children’s Liturgy
of the Word
RCIA 9 AM
Family Religious
Education Class
9—10:15 am
Food Pantry
Collection
NO SCHOOL
SPRED 6 PM
Choir 7 pm
7:30 am Mass
18
NO MASS
6:30 pm Mass
7 pm Men’s
Club Meeting
Eucharistic
Adoration
6:30 pm Mass
7:30 am Mass
8:30 Prayer
Service
SPRED 6 PM
Choir 7 pm
Eucharistic
Adoration
6:30 pm Mass
Kindergarten
Roundup
6:30-7:30 pm
6
12
13 Men’s Club
7:30 am Mass
Communion to
the Homebound
19
7:30 Mass
Communion
to the
Homebound
LENTEN
FISH FRY
5-7 PM
227 am-7 pm 23
288 & 10:30 297 am-7 pm
Masses
Children’s Liturgy
of the Word
RCIA 9 AM
Food Pantry
Collection
7:30 am Mass
5
Men’s Club
Sausage
Preparation
1-5 pm
17
Eucharistic
Adoration
24
7:30 am
Mass
Parish Staff
Meeting 9-11am
SATURDAY
8:15 AM
Confessions
School Mass with
4-4:40 pm
SCHOOL OPEN
Prayer Partners
5 pm Mass
HOUSE
Communion to
“COME AND SEE” the Homebound
St. Vincent
5-7 PM
Senior Citizens
dePaul Food
Gathering 12
Drive
Noon at St. Joe Sausage for the
INN 1 pm in the
Homeless
cafeteria
Collection
148 & 10:30 157 am-7 pm 16
am Masses
FRIDAY
25
NO MASS
267:30 am
Mass
Communion
to the
Homebound
Sausage
Distribution
7-10 am
Confessions
4-4:40 pm
5 pm Mass
St. Vincent
DePaul
Food Drive
20
Altar Society
Kuchens For Sale
Confessions
4-4:40 pm
5 pm Mass
St. Vincent
DePaul
Food Drive
27Confessions
4-4:30 pm
5 pm Mass
St. Vincent
dePaul
Food Drive
Haiti Collection
The Carpenter—February, 2016
DATE
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Saturday
February 13, 2016
5 PM
Dolores Sudholt
Eric McDonald
Karen McDonald
Butch and Linda Feulner
Sunday
February 14, 2016
8 AM
Brian and Ann Craney
Marcia Frey
Terry Drone
Allen Whitehouse
Sunday
February 16, 2016
10:30 AM
Sally Kempf Cecelia Koch
Joe Crowdus
Kitty Deig
Paul Hillenbrand
Saturday
February 20, 2016
5 PM
Page 10
LECTOR
SERVER
GIFT BEARERS
Sis Jarboe
Hunter Gillenwater
Matthew McDonald
Fred and Judy Gries
Dave Schmitt
Austin and Olivia Polk
Larry and Henrietta Happe
Mandy Elpers
Brendan Elpers Olivia Cody
Mike Forcum Family
Diane Woods
Kathy Cook Jan Hermann
Diane Woods
Lauren Niemeier
Bernette Locklar
Addy Waller
Danielle Gries
Don and Alice Weis
Sunday
February 21, 2016
8 AM
Tom and Delores Folz
Imogene Baehl
Michael Elpers
Randy Fehrenbacher
Kim Spaetti
Hannah Smith
Tom and Donna Blythe
Sunday
February 21
10:30 AM
Amy Cody Jena Wessel
June Beverly
Emily Tenbarge
Amy Tenbarge
Shane Wessel
Conner Wiley Kurt Forcum
Kevin Hartz Family
Saturday
February 27, 2016
5 PM
Ron and Margaret Angermeier
Donald Werner
Al Debes
Lee and Toni Askins
Sunday
February 28, 2016
8 AM
Kathy Fehrenbacher
Chick Duncan
Bryan and Ann Craney
Marcia Frey
Sunday
February 28, 2016
10:30 AM
Angie Will
Dan and Kathy Schenk
Diane Bassemier
Darlene Appler
Saturday
March 6, 2016
5 PM
Marilyn Mossberger
Bob and Mary Kay Fehrenbacher
Donna Niemeier
Dolores Sudholt
Sunday
March 7, 2016
8 AM
Terry Drone
Allen Whitehouse
Tom and Delores Folz
Imogene Baehl
Sunday
March 7, 2016
10:30 AM
Danielle Schmitt
Doris Taylor
June Beverly
Sally Kempf
Cecelia Koch
Jessica Reckelhoff
Isaac and Zach Schneider
Marcia Frey
William Whitehouse
Jane Scheller
Mike Reffett
Bella Duncan Nikki Mayer
John and Jane Luigs
Dan and Mary Ruth Lasher
John and Diane Bassemier
Brandon Werner
Jeri Kempf
Marilyn Mossberger
Jalane Weber
Chandler Schell Zoe Schell
Dave and Sandy Schmitt
Joyce Lewis
Gretchen Forcum
Emily Daza
Homer and Doris Taylor
The Carpenter—February, 2016
www.foolmoongrillandbar.com
Monuments Pet Markers Vases Bronze
Etchings Cemetery Lettering & Cleaning
[email protected]
Page 11
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Vanderburgh County
6202 West Saint Joseph Road
Evansville, IN 47720
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 3002
Evansville, IN 47708
OFFICE: 963-3273
SCHOOL: 963-3335 Fax: 963-3337
PRAYER CHAIN: 963-3149
www. stjoeco.org
Fr. Gene Schroeder—Pastor
E-mail [email protected]
Ms. Kristan Gilles—Director of Worship
E-mail [email protected]
Mrs. Melba Wilderman—Principal
E-mail [email protected]
Mrs. Julie Kempf—Parish Secretary
E-mail [email protected]
Mrs. Amy Meyer
Coordinator of Religious Education
E-mail [email protected]
Mrs. Jessica Reckelhoff
Coordinator of Religious Education
E-Mail [email protected]
MISSION OUTREACH
No one person can do or be everything for everyone.
But each of us can, in the words of Mother Theresa, “do
small things with great love.” Remembering these words,
you are invited to consider the following opportunities to
serve.
SPECIAL COLLECTION
THIS MONTH FOR
THE CHURCH IN
EASTERN EUROIPE
This month you are invited to contribute to a special collection Aid
the Church in Central and Eastern
Europe. An envelope is in your
monthly packet. Since 1991, the
collection has provided more than
$75 million to Catholics in postcommunist Russia and Central
and Eastern Europe. These funds
have supported more than 3,500
church projects in many Eastern Europe Countries. For interesting stories and further information please visit
www.AIDTOEASTERNEUROPE.ORG
Winter is upon us and that means snow. Snow can be
beautiful, but, here in the parish, it
means clearing snow off sidewalks
and parking lots.
We’ve been
blessed to have a number of people
step forward to do this. The great
thing about this is that people step
forward to take care of things in the
parish. The down side is that we’re
never quite sure who, or if, someone
is coming to take on the snow removal task.
We’d like to put a little more structure to our snow removal efforts. We need to get people to clear sidewalks as
well as the parking lot and we want to do this in a way that is
as efficient as possible. Sidewalks can be cleared with snow
shovels but can also be cleared with these wonderful four
wheeler vehicles equipped with a snow blade. And then all
manner of wonderful equipment can be used to clear the
parking!.
Peter Fehrenbacher has agreed to coordinate our snow
removal efforts. So, we are inviting people to put their
name on a list of people that can be notified when it’s time
to clear snow. It would be great if you could let us know if
you have any special equipment that you can bring to help
with snow removal. We can email you, or better yet, text
you, to let you know when we need your help. So email Peter ([email protected]) or text him at 812-568-985 or Fr. Gene
([email protected]) or text him at 812-499-9074