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August 23, 2022 – Executive Summary from Diocesan Synod Process
Abbreviated Executive Summary
INTRODUCTION
Over the last several months, it has been a joy to listen to the people of the Diocese of Evansville
share their experience of how God has been present and active in their lives. It is clear that there is a
great treasure in the hearts of our people that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. It is our hope
that the work we have done in doing our part to prepare for the 2023 Synod of Bishops on Synodality
will not only be an offering to the Universal Church, but a starting point for more intentional dialogue
with our people. We need to find more ways to highlight the great cloud of witnesses who simply and
often silently bear witness to Christ.
The Diocese of Evansville conducted over 25 listening sessions throughout its 12 counties in
Southwestern Indiana. There were over 600 people who participated in either a listening session or completed
an online survey. At the same time, we realize that there were still those who were not heard. We hope that
ongoing efforts at synodality will result in a deeper relationship among the people of our Diocese.
A team of 16 lay facilitators were trained to guide the listening sessions and generate a synthesis for
each session. These syntheses were used, along with the feedback from the online surveys, to create a synthesis,
which was submitted to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Those who facilitated the
listening sessions were also invited to review our full synthesis to ensure its accuracy. This Abbreviated
Executive Summary summarizes what we discovered throughout this process. The full Executive Summary
can be found at evdio.org/synod.
EUCHARIST
The Eucharist was the predominant theme that emerged from the People of God in the Diocese of
Evansville. “It is through the Eucharist that Christ makes himself present in our lives.” The people of our
Diocese strongly emphasized the importance of encountering Christ in the Eucharist. It is through Christ
that we come to know and understand ourselves and our mission in the world. The Eucharist brings a wide
diversity of individuals together, strengthening us as a family in Christ, who in receiving the Eucharist are
then sent out to act. The Eucharist is what helps us listen: it is what puts us in front of Jesus so that we can
listen to Him.
PARISH LIFE
Many people shared that their parish community is a source of joy in their lives. We journey together
by participating in Mass and through opportunities to share our faith with each other through programs and
retreats, working at parish picnics and serving in various ministries within the Church. People noted that
involvement is essential to the life of the community; that we need to find ways to remain connected and that
outreach is a critical part of our mission.
ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS
“By being involved in smaller groups, we are more effective in journeying together.” The following
movements and retreats were identified by our people as having a substantial impact on their lives: Cursillo,
Christ Renews His Parish, Teens Encounter Christ, Communion and Liberation, Source and Summit, The
Christian Family Movement, Renew, and Why Catholic? They help us to share life and change culture; they
are an entry point into the life of the Church and they help us to deepen our spiritual lives.
ACCOMPANIMENT
“I believe God is asking us to come together as a family and take care of each other.” There was a sense
among our people that, as Catholics, we are being asked to be part of a larger community and to be in
relationship with one another. There is a real desire to be welcoming and accompany new people, but also an
awareness that we sometimes fail in this regard because of fear, uncertainty or discomfort. But, we can be
better ambassadors of the faith; God is asking us to speak of our faith to those who are hungry for something
more than the world can give.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic caused our people a lot of sadness and distress as churches were closed in
an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy. It led to feelings of frustration and anger toward the Church, and
many expressed a profound loss at the absence of the sacraments. The desire that churches not be “closed”
again was a point of significant emotion and concern. We had to adjust to virtual liturgies; people missed their
parish communities; and there was an opportunity to grow from this period of struggle.
CHURCHMISSION &METHODS
With regard to the Church and her mission and methods, there were a number of themes highlighted
by our people. On one side, their comments show a great love for the Church and the immense value of their
faith; while at the same time, there is some frustration with the Church: dealing with everything from lengthy
processes, seemingly meaningless protocols and a perceived lack of leadership.
REMAINING CHALLENGES
A number of challenges were listed that need further attention and dialogue. These challenges
highlight everything from ecclesiology to pastoral care; from unity to addressing the changing culture in
which we live. These challenges are listed in their entirety on the Final Executive Summary.
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
This experience of intentionally listening to our people and inviting the gift of the Holy Spirit to shed
light on our experience has offered some important insights into the lives of our people. We noticed that many
struggled to speak from their own experiences of God and tended to focus on the things they didn’t like at
their parish or in the Church. We also noticed that people wanted to be heard and understood. They
appreciated the opportunity to share their experience of faith with the local Church. The final observation is
the need and desire for faith to be a lived experience. Our people want to understand how their faith relates to
life and what relevance it has to their families, their work and their leisure.
The full Executive Summary can be found at evdio.org/synod
Downloadable Final Executive Summary of Synod Synthesis PDF: Final Executive Summary of Synod Synthesis
August 25, 2022 – Congratulations Sarah Fruit – USI Student Volunteer of the Year
August 25, 2022 – Constant Contact Update
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August 17, 2022 – CAJE Update
Good morning and Happy Wednesday! We apologize if you are receiving this email a second time. We had a problem with the original distribution list this morning.
We hope this email finds you all healthy. The latest variant of Covid-19 has made the rounds with CAJE staff and some of our Justice Ministry Leaders. Please pray for everyone’s full recovery – and for the recovery of our co-chair Pamela Decker who had surgery late last month.
It may seem like a “slow” time in the organization but there is much going on…
It may seem like a “slow” time in the organization but there is much going on…
1. CAJE staff and a few talented congregational leaders have been working on
several grant applications. We covet your prayers that our requests will be accepted.
We hope to hire a Spanish-speaking Associate Organizer in the spring or summer of 2023! Our Hispanic/Latino brothers and sisters need to be empowered to “do justice” through the grassroots strategies of CAJE. An organizer fluent in Spanish would help us to achieve that goal.
We hope to hire a Spanish-speaking Associate Organizer in the spring or summer of 2023! Our Hispanic/Latino brothers and sisters need to be empowered to “do justice” through the grassroots strategies of CAJE. An organizer fluent in Spanish would help us to achieve that goal.
2. We are awaiting to hear more information regarding the county funding for the
Evansville Diversion Center. We will send out an update as soon as we hear
something.
Evansville Diversion Center. We will send out an update as soon as we hear
something.
3. We are a little more than halfway to our Congregational Investment Drive goal of $80,000. Please prayerfully consider an investment – or increase of your pledge.
There are two easy ways to give.
1. Mail you check (or set up a monthly check distribution through your financial
institution) to:
CAJE
PO Box 18172
Evansville IN 47719
2. Visit our website to invest through squarespace:
www.greaterevansvillecaje.org/
clicks!
There are two easy ways to give.
1. Mail you check (or set up a monthly check distribution through your financial
institution) to:
CAJE
PO Box 18172
Evansville IN 47719
2. Visit our website to invest through squarespace:
www.greaterevansvillecaje.org/
clicks!
3. Our annual Listening Process Kick Off is less than a month away! Tuesday
September 13, our Team Captains will participate in a local Listening Process
training. Our Listening Sessions will be conducted from September 14 – October
14.
If you are a Team Captain who has yet to schedule your House Meeting, please
contact your Organizer ASAP.
September 13, our Team Captains will participate in a local Listening Process
training. Our Listening Sessions will be conducted from September 14 – October
14.
If you are a Team Captain who has yet to schedule your House Meeting, please
contact your Organizer ASAP.
4. Speaking of October 14: Our Inaugural Justice Ministry Retreat has been
rescheduled for Friday October 14, 10 am – 6pm at the Lakeside Shelter,
Burdette Park. Please consider joining us for a day of faith, fun, and foundational relationship building. Contact Amy or Yvonne for details.
rescheduled for Friday October 14, 10 am – 6pm at the Lakeside Shelter,
Burdette Park. Please consider joining us for a day of faith, fun, and foundational relationship building. Contact Amy or Yvonne for details.
5. IMPORTANT: Tonight’s interactive ratepayer parade, hosted by DAACE has been indefinitely postponed. We will conduct our monthly prayer vigil, just west of CenterPoint headquarters on Thursday August 25.
In Solidarity,
CAJE Staff
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Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment (CAJE)
734 W. Delaware St., Suites 236 & 238
Evansville IN 47710
812-760-3700
We are sending this email because it is a convenient time for our staff. Please note that we do not expect a reply from you outside of your own work hours.
08-20-2022 Congratulations Max & Bailey (Barrett) Durchholz
Diocesan Green Mass – October 01, 2022
SIENNA EVENTS
Subject: SIENA
Meetings are held at St. Johns Daylight from 2-4 p.m. Attached are copies of upcoming events and event forms. If you have already signed an image form (a signature anywhere on the paper verifying you read and agree is perfect!), you will not need to do so again, but the event form will need to be filled out for each meeting.
We are so excited to share these events with each of you. Bring an open heart and a friend!
Save the Date – September 17, 2022 – Ladies Kickball
August 01, 2022 – Evansville Vocations Update
SO MANY GOOD THINGS THIS SUMMER!
What a summer it has been! So many good things have happened in building and fostering a culture of vocations in our diocese. Here are some highlights.
Most of our seminarians spent their summers in parishes. Two of our men, Philip Rogier and Caleb Scherzinger, ministered in hospitals in Louisville and Indianapolis, learning how to pray with the sick, to comfort the suffering, and to bring hope to the family of the dead. Tyler Underhill, Bradley Gehlhausen, Keith Hart, Aaron Herrenbruck, and Nathan Folz each are finishing up their parish assignments in Evansville, Vincennes, Daylight, Dale and Jasper. Nick Biever enjoyed six weeks studying in Rome before a parish assignment in Posey County, and Chase Reicker and Jacob Schneider moved back into the House of Discernment for the summer while working in the Evansville area.
Our seminarian cohort is growing 60% this fall. We have six new seminarians added to our ten who were in formation in May 2022. Thank you, parents and parishioners, for encouraging your sons and fellow parishioners to discern their vocations. The names and parishes of these men will be released in The Message as the fall semester unfolds, and you will see their photos on posters in your parishes and schools.
Our Savio community continues to attract and form young men as disciples. In June, Savio guys celebrated the anniversary of the death of Servant of God, Bishop Simon Bruté with a visit and Mass at his tomb at St Francis Xavier Parish in Vincennes. An afternoon of ice skating on the hot June 26th day followed. More than 40 Savio guys, seminarians, and House residents attended.
Earlier in June, several pairs of Sisters from the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia Motherhouse in Nashville, Tennessee assisted with Bible schools at parishes across the diocese. On June 14, eleven of them gathered with their superior, Mother Anna Grace, OP, at Oak Meadow Country Club to meet more than a hundred of the faithful and priests from the Diocese. The presence of the Sisters was warmly welcomed by all!
A group of six young adult women formed a discernment group this summer. Maria Lasher and Abby Thompson lead the group who met weekly to pray, talk, watch discernment videos and to help one another find where the Lord is calling each of them. As part of their community, they traveled to visit the Nashville Dominican Sisters, the community where Maria Lasher of Good Shepherd Parish has been accepted for August 2022. Kelli Reutman from St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Celestine will also follow her vocation with the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus in New Ulm, Minnesota this August. Let us pray for these young women!
July hosted several events for vocations. First, on July 19-21, 20 young men gathered for the second-annual “St. John Berchmans Master of Ceremonies Training Camp” at the House of Discernment. House residents and seminarians facilitated the formation of these parish servers from all over the diocese. Director of the Office of Worship, Matt Miller, along with Father Andrew Thomas and Father Anthony Vinson, OSB, also gave presentations. Attendees received a red cassock – like the one worn by the patron of altar servers, Saint John Berchmans – to take home and wear as they MC and serve parish and diocesan Masses in the coming years.
The second big event in July was the second-annual “Cleric Cup” volleyball tournament. According to one attendee’s count, more than 300 people attended. The July 24 Sunday evening started at Sts. Peter & Paul Parish in Haubstadt with Mass, and the tourney followed. After an opening set of games pitting Savio guys against Siena girls, four teams competed for the title: priests, seminarians, current and former House residents, and Savio guys. After six hard-fought games, the House team prevailed over the Savio team in the championship at the Haubstadt Old Gym.
A third gathering for vocations included our young women. “Siena” is a new community of faith formation and discernment for our high school and middle school girls. Modeled after the diocesan “Savio” brotherhood, the 25 girls gathered for prayer, formation and community at the Parish Life Center at Sts. Peter and Paul before the Cleric Cup Mass and tourney. More information can be obtained by signing up for email updates at EvansvilleVocations.org/siena.
Savio Nights for the new school year also began on Sunday, July 31. A record-high total of 100 high school and junior high guys attended, enjoying pizza and sports before a faith formation talk by House Director, Father Tyler Tenbarge, about the life of Saint Dominic Savio. Night Prayer concluded the evening inside Sacred Heart Church. The next Savio Night is August 21. To register, visit EvansvilleVocations.org/savio.
Finally, continue to join us for our regular Monday Night “Holy Hour & Mass for Vocations” at Sacred Heart Church. Adoration and Confession starts at 6:30pm. Mass follows at 7:30pm. If you know of someone interested in the House or discernment, please contact Director of Vocations, Father Tyler Tenbarge, by visiting www.EvansvilleVocations.org.