Bishop John J. McRaith. Bishop John McRaith is the Ordinary of the Diocese of Owensboro. Donna Ferguson, Administrative Assistant. The office is primarily responsible for pastorally shepherding the Roman Catholic Church of Western Kentucky.

Joseph Angela Boone, OSU, Director. The office is staffed by Kay Hardin, Mary Margaret Drury and Elaine Thomas. The office is responsible for: handling the diocesan investments, individual annuities, the various insurance policies and retirement plans for the lay employees and clergy, diocesan and special collections, accountable for deposit and loan fund disbursement and collections, financial reports and budgets, tax legislation that might affect church accounting, legal matters, day to day operations of accounts payable and receivable, and for assisting computer and technology implementation.

Cliff Russell, Broadcast Consultant, works from a production studio in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish rectory. Cliff produces a weekly TV Mass broadcast on WZAX TV19 in Evansville, IN, and coordinates other efforts of broadcast communications.

Jim Mattingly, Director; Karen Jarboe, Administrative Assistant. The office: organizes teacher and administrator in-service programs, maintains the schools’ records and standardized tests, assists principals and school boards with matters of diocesan school policy, publishes the Diocesan Schools Policy Handbook, presents workshops for parishes and schools on matters of diocesan school policy, serves as consultant in areas of curriculum development, maintains teacher records of certification and teaching experience, works with Diocese of Owensboro Catholic Educators (DOCE) on teacher relations, and represents the diocesan schools before the public and state and local governments.

OFFICE OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY NUTRITION

Theresa Ballard, Director; Eileen Payne, Administrative Assistant. The office coordinates the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs in the diocese.

OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND DIOCESAN RESOURCE CENTER

Patty Blair, Director; Donna Biggs, Administrative Assistant. The Office of Religious Education ministers to the catechetical needs of the diocese through the calling forth, enabling and development of effective leadership for administration of total parish religious education. The responsibilities of the office include implementing the religious education convocation process through the assistance of parishes in organization, planning, programming and evaluation of life-long religious education in light of the newly articulated Diocesan vision and directional elements. The Office is also responsible for the training of parish education committees, resourcing parishes, providing catechist training and certification, the continued development of professional directors of religious education, and evaluation of parish programs as well as catechetical materials. The Media Center provides audio-visual materials for the enhancement of religious education programs for children, youth and adults.

OFFICE OF LAY MINISTRY & OUTREACH

Sr. Pat Froning, Director. Rita Hayden, Administrative Assistant. The office works with and provides formation for deanery councils and parish pastoral councils; and coordinates the specific diocesan evangelization efforts of preparing for and celebrating the new millennium in accord with the call of the Holy Father for a "new evangelization for a new millennium." The focused diocesan effort in RENEW 2000 is coordinated in this office.

OFFICE OF STEWARDSHIP

Kevin Kauffeld, Director, Coordinator of Staff. Cathy Hagan, Administrative Assistant. Ginny Knight, Coordinator of Wisdom. In addition to coordinating staff activities, the office assists and supports parish efforts of stewardship education, and directs efforts for: the Catholic Foundation of Western Kentucky; the Disciples Response Fund Appeal; planned giving activities. The office is also available to assist parish and school efforts of financial development.

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATION

Mel Howard, Director. The office provides staff support in areas of Diocesan and Parish Communications Ministries for the Committee for Total Education, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and the Diocesan Communication Committee. Planning and implementing of Diocesan communications projects, and assisting parishes with requests for video, audio and print projects is a continuing work of the office. The Communications Office produces the diocesan newspaper, The Western Kentucky Catholic, as well.

OFFICE OF YOUTH MINISTRY

Melinda Prunty, Director. Donna Mills, Administrative Assistant. The office assists parishes in establishing a youth ministry program by conducting a "Building a Youth Ministry Workshop," providing a quarterly newsletter for adults working in Youth Ministry with pertinent information regarding current issues and events, acting as a vehicle of communication with regard to resources and support, providing a lending library with youth ministry print and video resources, offering diocesan-wide youth events and leadership opportunities. We hope to expand into the area of young adult ministry.

OFFICE FOR THE MISSIONS

Fr. Joe Mills is the director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood Association. Assistant Director is Sr. Joseph Angela Boone, OSU, who handles the finances and bookkeeping for the office.

OFFICE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE

Sr. Amelia Stenger, O.S.U., directs this office in conjunction with the Mount St. Joseph Center at Maple Mount, KY, which has a regular year-long schedule of retreat experiences, adult and youth religious education, formation workshops and training sessions.

OFFICE OF WORSHIP

Fr. Larry McBride, Director. Martha Hagan, Associate Director. The office coordinates: Ordinations, Chrism Mass, RCIA, lector and liturgy workshops. It also provides liturgical support and resources to parishes. Fr. Larry is pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Owensboro.

OFFICE OF MUSIC Director, Mike Bogdan

CATHOLIC CHARITIES/ADOPTION SERVICES

Rita Heinz, Director; Charlotte Hedges, Administrative Assistant. This office offers counseling on a sliding fee scale; parish based counseling program; pregnancy counseling; advocacy; case management; resource networking and management with other agencies. Catholic Relief Service and Catholic Campaign for Human Development administered from this office. Hispanic Ministry, Family Life and Social Concerns offices are under the auspices of Catholic Charities.

OFFICE OF HISPANIC MINISTRY/OFICINA DE MINISTERIO HISPANO

Patti Murphy, director, coordinates efforts of outreach to the Hispanic population of the Diocese of Owensboro, now estimated at 10,000. 

SOCIAL CONCERNS

Dick Murphy, Director; Charlotte Hedges, Administrative Assistant. Commissions: Handicapped; AIDS /HIV Task Force; Domestic Violence Task Force; Diocesan Women's Commission; Respect Life; Rural Life; African-American Office, Director, Gloria Adams; Social Concerns Committee. The office coordinates educational programs and workshops concerning Catholic social teaching. Some event-based educational programs are also coordinated from this office. Catholic Relief Service, and Campaign for Human Development are also administered out of this office. 

FAMILY LIFE OFFICE

Betty Medley, Director. Angie Sims, Natural Family Planning Instructor; Betty Medley, Bereavement Ministry (training and resources for parish teams, support groups dealing with loss). Other ministry areas: singles; marriage preparation (Engaged Encounter, sponsor couples); marriage enrichment; Once More With Love (program for second marriages); Retrouvaille for troubled marriages; parenting; separated and divorced groups; training and consultation for parishes—"family perspectives within the parish"; family life committees.

DIOCESAN TRIBUNAL

Fr. Mike Clark, Judicial Vicar. Louanne Gelarden, auditor/case promoter/notary, Sandy Morris, administrative assistant; Mary Ann Kurz, notary/administrative assistant, Donna Murphy, auditor/case promoter. The Tribunal staff includes Donna Sauer, Fr. Pat Reynolds, Fr. Greg Trawick, Fr. Leonard Alvey, Fr. Richard Meredith, Ph.D., Fr. John Vaughan, JCD, Sr. Vivian Marie Bowles, O.S.U., Mrs. Patricia G. Campbell, Ms. Shannon S. Wright, Dr. Bill Bach, and Fr. Joe Mills, JCL. The Tribunal renders decisions in matters of Church Law dealing for the most part with issues surrounding the validity of marriages.

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PRIESTS

Fr. Richard Meredith is the Director of this office which convenes the Presbyterate with the bishop several times each year, and which assists priests and deacons, as a group and individually, in theological or personal growth and continuing education, e.g., such as in planning a sabbatical. He is the pastor of St. Joseph Church, Bowling Green, KY.

OFFICE OF PRIEST PERSONNEL

A committee of priests provides recommendations to the bishop on caring for retired priests and parish assignments.

OFFICE OF VOCATIONS

Fr. Andy Garner, Director, andy.garner@pastoral.org He is also Chaplain of Owensboro Catholic High School. The office coordinates vocational efforts in the diocese and works with candidates considering the call to priesthood and religious life.

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