Catholic News Around Indiana
Compiled by Brandon A. Evans
Diocese of Evansville
Jasper army veteran recalls horrors of Dachau Concentration Camp
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
It’s been nearly 65 years, but Othmar “Ottie” Mathias still can’t stop the memories of Dachau Concentration Camp from flooding back — especially at bedtime when he closes his eyes.
“I think about it every night,” he said. “I can’t forget it.”
He was a young man of 23 when his infantry division arrived at Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany; it was located near the medieval town of Dachau in Bavaria.
In total, over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 countries were housed in Dachau; over 25,613 prisoners are believed to have died there.
Ottie was raised on a farm near Loogootee, one of the nine children born to Joseph and Barbara (Prechtel) Mathias. The family attended St. Mary Church in Barr Township.
He was the first man from Martin County to be called up for military service after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and he left for the army on May 14, 1942.
He remembers that the military training was tough, but life on the farm had prepared him for it. The soldiers would often hike 25 miles carrying 50 pounds on their backs. When they returned to their barracks, many would collapse onto their cots. Not Ottie. He and a buddy would take a shower and head for the USO Club.
As his group moved through France and into Germany, he carried a prayer book that his mother had given him. It gave him comfort as he said his prayers, and it also saved his life — as it once stopped a bullet.
It’s been almost 65 years since his unit liberated Dachau, and he still considers it the “most defining moment” of his life.
Photo caption: Othmar “Ottie” Mathias draws a sketch of Dachau, a Nazi concentration camp in Bavaria, Germany, that his army unit liberated in April of 1945. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes)
Will Sievern named national finalist for high school Heisman awards
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
Will Sievern looked pleased when he heard the announcement of state honors, but his announcement as a national finalist knocked him backward a few inches.
Sievern, a senior at Memorial High School in Evansville, was named one of 12 national finalists for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
The announcement came on stage at Memorial’s auditorium from a Wendy’s representative during a surprise school assembly Nov. 10. Principal Gwen Godsey acknowledged Sievern and Susan Featherstone as the two school winners, but then announced, “but there is more.”
The state award provided Sievern with a silver medal. The national finalist status will provide him with a trip to New York for the weekend of Dec. 10-12, for Heisman weekend activities including participation in the nationally-televised awards ceremony broadcast on ESPN2. A crew from ESPN was also scheduled to follow Sievern through his school day on Nov. 13.
His selection for the honor also brings a $2,000 donation to Memorial High School.
Sievern was one of some 50,000 applicants for the honor.
His list of achievements already numbers several pages. He is an Eagle Scout, a National Merit Scholarship Commended Student, president of the school’s German club, and Southwest Indiana Arts Council 2009 Young Artist of the Year, to name a few.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Evansville, log on to the website of The Message at www.themessageonline.org)
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades named ninth bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
Statement by Bishop John M. D’Arcy
I am honored to announce, with great joy, that our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed as ninth bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend the present Bishop of Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), Kevin C. Rhoades.
Bishop Rhoades was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1983. He has advanced degrees in canon law and theology from the Gregorian University in Rome.
He has served as rector of Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. — one of the oldest seminaries in the United States. I was privileged to visit there as part of the apostolic visitation of seminaries in 2005. And even though Bishop Rhoades was no longer at the seminary since he had been appointed as bishop of Harrisburg, one could see among faculty and students great respect for his intelligence, holiness and priestly character.
As a seminarian, he studied Spanish intensely and is fluent in that language. This will be a great blessing, for the increasing number of Hispanic Catholics in our diocese.
There are two important points I would like to make before Bishop Rhoades speaks.
1. This appointment shows the great importance Pope Benedict XVI places on this diocese. He has sent us a well-prepared bishop, who has served five years as bishop of a diocese larger than ours — Harrisburg, Pa., which is also the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I know from other sources how beloved he is there, and this will be painful for them. A gift for us. A loss for them.
2. Bishop Rhoades is bishop of his home diocese — a place where he grew up in the small town of Mahanoy City, Pa. He probably presumed he would be bishop there for the rest of his life, and he certainly was content there. Yet, he immediately accepted the request of Pope Benedict XVI. Like the apostles in the fifth chapter of Luke, he left everything to follow the call of Christ.
I am pleased to tell you that his installation as Bishop is scheduled to take place at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Jan. 13, 2010.
Pope Benedict XVI has kindly appointed me as apostolic administrator until the installation on Jan. 13, 2010.
Photo caption: Bishop John M. D’Arcy (left) stands with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades.
Twenty years of Franciscan spirit celebrated at Franciscan Center
By Tim Johnson
FORT WAYNE — Who does “Thanksgiving Tuesday,” Father Benedict Groeschel, community giving and serving the poor have in common? They are all connected with The Franciscan Center in Fort Wayne with the spirit of St. Francis all packaged in the line: “I come to bring love and peace for all people.”
The Franciscan Center is involved in a campaign to provide a turkey or ham on Thanksgiving for its clientele which has grown considerably during the economic downturn and unemployment. The Franciscan Center, located in the former Sacred Heart School in Fort Wayne, operates a food pantry on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a Sack Lunch Ministry that feeds 1,000 on Saturdays, and the Medicine Cabinet that offers medicines and hygiene products on Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m.
Executive Director Jim Christie has a goal to distribute 1,500 turkeys or hams on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Through the generosity of Tim Didier Meats, 200 turkeys were donated to The Franciscan Center through the recent fall Redeemer Radio — Catholic Radio 1450 AM — Sharathon. An additional 900 turkeys and hams were purchased, “and now we need to pay for them,” Christie told Today’s Catholic.
Christie hopes to raise funds to cover these purchases, but the public is also invited to purchase a turkey or ham on their own and deliver it to the center on Nov. 19, 20 or 23rd. The turkeys will be distributed Nov. 24 to those clients who have obtained vouchers, which have been distributed during operational hours of the food pantry.
The Franciscan Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and on Oct. 24, a successful dinner and auction fundraiser was held at the Marriott Ballroom in Fort Wayne with over 300 in attendance.
Photo caption: Jim Christie, executive director of The Franciscan Center, center, poses with food pantry volunteers John Matera, left, and Dave Sensenich, right, on Nov. 5. The food pantry operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. in the basement of the Sacred Heart School in Fort Wayne at 4643 Gaywood Dr.
(For these stories and more news from the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, log on to the website of Today’s Catholic at www.todayscatholicnews.org)
Diocese of Gary
No stories available this week
(For more news from the Diocese of Gary, log on to the website of the Northwest Indiana Catholic at www.nwicatholic.com)
Diocese of Lafayette
Carmel Deanery's Serra Club active once more
By Caroline B. Mooney
ZIONSVILLE — Seminarians of the Local Church are receiving more spiritual aid with the re-chartering of the Serra Club of the Carmel Deanery.
Stu Baxter, a parishioner of St. Alphonsus Church, Zionsville, was president of the old Carmel Serra Club, and is a trustee of the new one. “The club started on Sept. 10, 1995, and due to a lack of members hasn’t been active for about the past three years,” he said.
Encouraging, promoting, fostering, developing and nurturing vocations is the primary goal of the Serra Club. Serrans help promote the priesthood and religious life by supporting not only priests, but also seminarians and novices in religious communities through the diocesan vocations office. The Local Church has 30 men in formation for the priesthood.
Approximately 60 people commemorated the re-chartering with a Mass and dinner Oct. 29 at St. Alphonsus Church.
Bishop William L. Higi celebrated Mass, with concelebrants Father Douglas McCormack, former pastor of St. Alphonsus, now retired, who helped start the first Carmel Deanery Serra Club; Father Brian Doerr, diocesan vocations director; Father Joshua Janko, associate pastor of St. Alphonsus and Serra Club chaplain; and Father Dennis O’Keeffe, pastor of St. Alphonsus.
“It’s a good thing we are getting the club re-chartered,” Father Janko said. “The Serrans were such a help to me in my years as a seminarian — this is important work of the Church.”
“I am thrilled that we have yet again a Serra Club in the Carmel Deanery,” Bishop Higi said in his homily. “Please God it will flourish. Please God it will provide a witness that proclaims loud and clear that the call to serve the Church as a religious, a permanent deacon, a priest and/or a bishop is something to be celebrated, affirmed, encouraged and supported.
Photo caption: A Mass and dinner on Oct. 29 celebrated the re-chartering of the Serra Club of the Carmel Deanery. Bishop William L. Higi was principal celebrant of the Mass; concelebrants included Father Dennis O’Keeffe, Father Brian Doerr, Father Joshua Janko and Father Douglas McCormack. (Photos by Caroline B. Mooney)
(For this story and more news from the Diocese of Lafayette, log on to the website of The Catholic Moment at www.thecatholicmoment.org)